Preemptive solutions

This letter refers to the article ‘The real disease’ (February 16, 2020) by Dr Farrukh Saleem. The writer discusses the inflated costs of wheat, sugar and electricity in Pakistan. He goes on to claim that only the symptoms of these problems are being treated rather than the disease itself. Pakistan has vast agricultural resources but unfortunately, fertile land is being used for the killer plant Tobacco due to incentives given by rich tobacco companies with the connivance of corrupt officials.

Had the government heeded former PAEC chairman Munir Ahmed Khan’s advise to build nuclear power reactors we could have avoided our present energy malaise. Even 40 years past, Khan could foresee the current electricity shortage. Early detection and prevention of a disease are preferable to having to come up with a cure; this applies to all the preventable problems which our country has faced over decades.

Dr Sher Mohammad Khan

Swat