IN defending what seems patent high treason Gen Aslam Beg told the Supreme Court that he and the earlier generation of generals all had pledged their allegiance to the Indian Army Act 1911 (modified as they subsequently decided) and not to the later 1973 Constitution.

I may be wrong but I think we did have some sort of constitution which Ayub first abrogated in 1958. Perhaps Gen Beg was unaware of this.

This may also serve to explain why we never won any of our wars with India to whose army this generation presumably had pledged allegiance.

Sounds somewhat like the dual nationality issue. Perhaps also, this may explain why our generals have generally subverted and treated the constitution with the contempt it continues to receive by themselves and the political and mullianic hydras they have periodically created.

For far less of a disservice Dr Afridi has been permanently incarcerated and someone like me (whom the West has no ‘human rights’ interest in) would have been hanged. Looking at the current situation I hope in the inverted pyramid of our current, in-waiting and future crop of generals allegiance has not yet been pledged to the Taliban Horde Act 1987.

DR MERVYN HOSEIN             Karachi