FOOLS rush in where angels fear to tread. So goes the cliché. However, on the 20th anniversary of infamous 9/11 attacks, the Americans cannot be described as mere fools, given their proven track record in international politics.

Despite being materially mediocre and numerically nowhere, Afghanistan has often been an international case study. Yet, on the basis of America’s all-weather right to self-defence, George W. Bush junior, the then president, took no time to unleash Operation Enduring Freedom against Afghanistan on Oct 7, 2001. As things unfolded, Afghanistan was ruthlessly bombarded by the United States and its allies.

The US-led 20-year war took 47,600 civilian lives left twice as many injured. Though the total number of civilian casualties was way higher than the officially reported figures, the relentless bloodbath was conveniently justified by American diplomats and the media as merely collateral damage.

Bearing the brunt of US belligerence, Pakistan, Afghanistan’s immediate neighbour, suffered a great deal, losing about 83,000 lives, as well as over $126 billion in economic damages. All this took place in a country that was America’s non-Nato ally. The ‘war on terror’, for both Afghanistan and Pakistan, proved to be much more disastrous than the 9/11 episode was for the US. Despite the formidable human and material destruction, the US presented an arrogant and devil-may-care attitude all through the long, dark years. In fact, it was sheer bestiality that often characterises the behaviour of global powers.

And then the Afghans took back Kabul 20 years later, forcing the US to leave in embarrassing haste which was reminiscent of its Saigon ignominy.

Syed Jawaid Iqbal
Karachi

N.S.S. OUTFLOWS: This is with reference to the report ‘NSS outflows exceed inflows first time in 16 years’ (Aug 31). Being an investor in NSS, I would add two reasons for the decline: reduction of interest rates from 16.80 per cent to 12pc, and the newly imposed requirement of succession certificate for the heirs of a diseased investor. The new nomination rule, for sure, is a torture people can do without.

K.M. Shafi
Karachi

URDU SUBTITLES: It is deeply concerning that most of the online platforms providing spoken content in Urdu language do not cater to hearing-impared people. There is no digital platform that provides access to shows produced in Urdu with Urdu subtitles. Furthermore, it also discourages active Urdu learning for children and foreign speakers in search of useful Urdu content. This is an important issue regarding the rights of the disabled. Governments and content creators should look into the matter.

Tayeba Batool
Rawalpindi

E-WASTE MANAGEMENT: The disposal of e-waste is an emerging global environmental and public health issue as it has become the most rapidly growing segment of the formal municipal waste stream. E-waste contains hazardous metallic contaminants that affect the blood level and metabolic process in the human body because the techniques applied in recycling e-waste are very primitive. Recycling of e-waste requires adequate equipment and proper health risk assessment. Giant tech companies should contribute to this process.

Naheed Akhtar
Gilgit

BOOK PRICES: Recently I went to a bookstore with my friends to buy some books, and, to our surprise, book prices were too high for us to buy even a single book. A 300-page history book was

worth Rs1,200. How can a student afford to dish out that kind of money? The government needs to allocate a budget for supporting and promoting the book-reading culture in the country.

Sameer Ali Areejo
Gambat

Published in Dawn, September 11th, 2021