Generally Puskar Bhusal's columns are of high quality based on pragmatic reasoning and logic. However, his "Pervez's letter to Sher Bahadur" (#99). The crude sense of humour was missed by most people in Nepal who asked for confirmation from us if the President of Pakistan had actually written such a letter to the Nepali Prime Minister. It would have been much better if the contents of the letter had appeared in the form of an article on Pakistan-Nepal relations. This would have prevented the paper from drawing in the Head of another country in Nepal's domestic situation. You must give credit to your leaders for home grown actions and response to various internal compulsions and also by the same logic hold them accountable for the perceived failings rather than shifting responsibility for Nepal's current malaise to a country that does not even have geographical contiguity with Nepal.

Yes it is true that General Musharraf has become a household name in Nepal because peoples of South Asia have appreciated his charismatic leadership qualities, his direct and forthright approach and the courage to face even the most difficult situations. By the way Mr Pushkar should understand the difference between a referendum and elections to avoid equating the two different political terminology. As Nepal's well wishers we would like to see Nepal coming out of the current difficulties so that the country can march towards real progress, development, and prosperity.

Kamal Ahmad,
First Secretary (Press and Culture) Embassy of Pakistan