Debating the issue

Sir: I write with reference to Mr Khwaja Khusro Tariq’s letter (DT, 30 July) and Ejaz Haider’s column (DT, 29 July). Mr Haider mentioned the letters that accuse the paper (DT) of being more western than the West itself. That begot Mr Tariq’s letter. Since Mr Haider has opened the issue to debate and since I cherish Daily Times editorials, I am jumping in.

Mr Haider is right in contending that such letters cannot be discarded. But the question is: why is the newspaper receiving such letters? This is what I think.
I think that until now, it was the vernacular press that throve on emotionalism. We ignored it, as we also did some anchors on TV channels who compare the present regime with pre-Islamic Persian rulers. We read English-language newspapers for more objective opinion on various issues.
The Red Mosque episode has changed that. Even prominent English-language newspapers have been voicing confused opinions. In January, everyone was calling for an operation. But when the operation started, they shifted position and began criticising the government. In the end, when the whole operation ended, the guns were turned on the government for not entering into a dialogue with the Red Mosque cleric. No one would say what kind of dialogue. Daily Times was the only newspaper that kept to its position and expounded it clearly and objectively.
Mr Haider himself has written unambiguously and is right in not succumbing to the wishes of the people. People are happier with the features page of the Friday issue of an Urdu newspaper than debating the dangers that literalism poses to this polity.
MUHAMMAD ISMAIL KHAN
Islamabad