Sir: In order to provide a legal cover to the fight against terrorism, the Protection of Pakistan Act gets through parliament with a majority vote. Pakistan is going through extraordinary times, which necessarily require extraordinary measures to enable the law enforcement agencies to cope with the situation. The Act will have a shelf life of two years. The major reservation about the Act has been the liberty given to the law enforcers to shoot a terrorist suspect on sight. The Act however also includes eight safeguards to ensure that this liberty is not misused. Judicial oversight of the internment camps and the right to appeal to the High Courts instead of only to the Supreme Court makes the Act comprehensive and balanced. Afia Malik Lahore