The Punjab government has asked the Navy authorities many a time to shift the War College from the Mall Road to some suitable location away from the civilian population. The authorities did not care. Navy building has already been attacked in the past and there is a possibility of it being targeted again. Moreover, there is no justification for locating the War College on the Mall Road, which is nowhere near any river or sea, other than the smelly canal that usually serves as a sewage drain.
Most worried are the top honchos of the Punjab government, the DMG and the PSP types, who live in palatial villas of the GOR-1. They fear being caught in the crossfire if the terrorists attacked the college. Of course, lives of the bureaucrats are more precious than the lives of the poor civilians. Even if the tussle is between the Navy and Punjab bureaucracy, the location of the War College in the middle of the city is inappropriate. The Navy is suggested to vacate the villa, and the Punjab government is suggested to put it to a proper use.
DR JAFFER KAPADIA
Lahore
