Sir: Recent events have highlighted the state and society’s failure to stop educated youngsters from playing into the hands of extremists and terrorists. Last Sunday, eight young men were killed in an encounter with the Counter Terrorism Department’s (CTD) paramilitary force. These eight men were said to be well educated. The architects of the 2015 Safoora Goth terrorist attack in Karachi who were awarded the death penalty were also said to be graduates from some of Pakistan’s most prestigious institutions. Predators who seek to pollute the minds of young Pakistanis must be stopped at all cost. The fact that even educated minds are being attracted to extremism is very disturbing and needs to be given attention immediately. Lawmakers, academics, religious scholars and parents need to ponder on this issue so that Pakistan’s best and brightest minds aren’t lost to the terrorist’s narrative. M M KHAN Larkana Published in Daily Times, October 24th 2017.