INTELLECTUAL DISHONESTY: This is with reference to the letter “Research papers are really up for ‘sale’” (Aug 25). The commercialisation of research papers is indeed a major cause of decline in the academic standards and genuine learning. Back in the day, there were no rules about publication of research papers, yet we had great scholars who were not even PhDs. Becoming a writer just by pitching in with one’s share of the hefty ‘publishing’ fee is a degradation of the profession of teaching.

Khayyam Durrani
Karachi

COVID TESTING: I and my sister recently went to the Liaquat University of Medical and Health Sciences, Jamshoro, to get ourselves tested for Covid. When the reports came, my age had not been correctly mentioned. I went to the centre to make sure that I had received the correct report, and found many who had come with data errors, especially related to age and gender. There was at least one person who had father’s name mentioned wrong. Such inaccuracies have raised concern about the validity of the testing process itself.

Ali Raza Brohi
Shahdadkot

DEFENCE DAY: This year we should observe the Defence Day on Sept 6 as a day of introspection. Why is Pakis-tan’s per capita income below even Bangladesh? Will every new baby born be indebted forever? Why have successive governments failed to provide universal healthcare and education to the people? Above all, why does even the Muslim world shun us, the Pakistanis?

Amjed Jaaved
Rawalpindi

TAX ON SAVINGS: Even though the finance minister has said more than once that there would be no new taxes or revised taxation rates, the withholding tax on profit over Rs500,000 earned through various schemes offered by National Savings and other financial institutions has been increased from 10 per cent to 15pc. Is it an anomaly?

Rafi Ahmed
Karachi

Published in Dawn, August 29th, 2021