LETTER : Bhutto's role in Karachi

IT WAS rather callous of Tim McGirk to quote a journalist, obviously a partisan one, asserting that "Benazir seems to have had a policy of `let them kill each other' " ("Bhutto lets Karachi killings run out of control", 26 March).

The assertion is absurd and glosses over the constant endeavours of the Prime Minister to bring complete peace and normality to Karachi. Her government has even offered to mediate between the two warring factions. She has been taking various administrative measures to eradicate the problem and has brought in a multi-billion dollar development programme to redress the problems of Karachi's inhabitants and encourage economic development.

She has taken a serious view of a situation bequeathed to her by her predecessors, and to a great extent has succeeded in bringing peace to the city.

Wajid Shamsul Hasan

High Commissioner

for Pakistan London SW1