Sir,
I have been following with regret the titles of your recent news/articles on the PKK terrorist attacks against Turkish civilians and soldiers. In the Arab Times of Nov 1, as the latest example, you published the story with the title "Turks kill 15 Kurds in border battle", which is a complete distortion of the facts and is giving the wrong impression to the readers as if there were two different peoples fighting each other, i.e. the Turks and the Kurds. As an experienced and responsible journalist, you know it very well established by now that the PKK is as an illegal terrorist organization not only in Turkey but in the whole world including USA, EU and Iraq as well as in Kuwait. It is with this terrorist organization, which is killing the innocent Turkish citizen that the Turkish armed forces are fighting against. Terror and terrorism are dangerous crimes which might target any country, anyone and anytime. However, your style of reporting of the PKK terrorism, which does not clearly reflect the criminal side of the matter, leaves a wrong impression on your readers. I certainly hope that in your future reporting, you will reflect the whole truth, separate the PKK terrorists from the innocent Kurds; name the terrorists as terrorists and bear in mind that the Turks and Kurds are brothers who have been living together in peace and harmony for centuries.

Sakir Fakili

Sir,
We Pakistanis/ of Pakistani origin living in Kuwait feel heartsick watching the political development and the deteriorating civil life in Pakistan. Does General Musharraf realize that he is destroying the very structure that he took great pain to repair? Look at the following:

* He put a ban on the electronic media that he himself allowed in such a healthy way. People may say that he did nothing. Some say that it is in the constitution while others say that they fought for it. However, they forget that it was in the constitution even before Musharraf. How they were treated by those democratic government at the time should be very well known to them.

* He dissolved the supreme court and crushed its newly acquired freedom that was so healthy. Again whether people believe or not, lawyers' struggle got so much momentum mainly because of free electronic media that he allowed. It showed the struggle and galvanized the civil society against the decision taken by him that eventually reinstated the deposed chief justice.

* He made a deal with the corrupt Benazir to the extent that now she seems to have upper hand. He was so forceful against her all along and then made the about turn to the surprise and dismay of many. Granted that there were many things out of his control and some people definitely had personal vendetta against him, he must all the same not undo all reforms that took roots in Pakistan. We urge him to shed his uniform on Nov 15, 2007 as he promised, dissolve the assemblies and conduct free and fair election within sixty days. He can repair a lot of damage by taking these steps. If election results in his ouster, then so be it. Nobody is in this world for ever. If he does that, I am sure history will eventually treat him as one of those great leaders who meant good for his country. Lastly, some words of Benjamin Franklin seem appropriate right now - words that have been used a lot lately in condemning the Bush administration post 9/11. Franklin said "Those who would sacrifice a little bit of liberty to gain security, deserve neither liberty nor security."

Mohammad Shamim Mozaffar
shamimm@keoic.com

Sir,
A joke dedicated to the readers before I move to the main course which is a synopsis of the outstanding Indian comedy movie of the Seventies "Bombay To Goa". Last part of this letter will be a synopsis of the outstanding British movie "The Collector" which was released precisely in 1967.

Joke: a woman used to ask her husband - Where are you going? anytime he was about to go out. One day the woman travelled for few days. He said to himself, today is day of my happiness. I will go out I'll come back home late at night. He put his hand in his pocket he saw a paper on which it was written: Tell me really. Where are you going?

The outstanding Indian comedy movie of the Seventies "Bombay To Goa" is a movie in which almost everybody acts. From Amitabh Bachchan to Aruna Irani, Shatrughan Sinha and even the late playback singer Kishore Kumar personally appears in this unforgettable film made in colour.

In "Bombay To Goa", the late comedian Mehmood (real brother of actress Meenu Mumtaz) plays role of a bus driver. The bus driver Mehmood with all passengers in the bus including the comedian Sunder, the comedian actress Manurama stop for Kishore Kumar whose car is broken down on the road. They all come down to speak to Kishore Kumar forgetting his car. Mehmood reminds Kishore Kumar of his songs picturised on Rajesh Khanna in Aradhana and the song Mere Sapnon Ki Rani Kab Ayegi Tu? (Queen of my dreams, when are you coming to see me?) and Kishore Kumar's song picturised on Mehmood himself in "Padosan" (read like Parosan which means the neighbour): Mere Saamni Wali, Kherki Mein, Ek Chand Sa Tukhra Rahte Hai" (a piece of chand is standing looking at me from her window). Then Kishore Kumar says to Mehmood Yeh Tu Mehmood Gane Ka Ek Picture Hai: but this is a song from a film starring Mehmood. Then Mehmood gives Kishore Kumar a lift. In the bus the passengers who are excited to see the far-famed playback singer (The playback singer came to Kuwait once. I know him by sight) ask him to sing a song for them.

In "Padosan" as Sunil Dutt standing ahead of Mehmood and Kishore Kumar standing behind Mehmood sings for his beautiful girl who lives in his neighbourhood Kishore Kumar asks Sunil Dutt to sing: come on sing while Saira Banu laughs at Mehmood who makes mouth. In the outstanding British movie of 1967 "The Collector" (Jame-el Ferashat when it was screened in Al Andalus cinema in 1967: the Arabic title of the British movie is exactly the same as it is in English. Jame means collector Ferashat is Arabic plural for Ferashah which means Butterfly because the British actor Terence Stamp is a Butterfly Collector). Terence Stamp stops for a beautiful slim girl played by Samantha Egar. The girl seems to be willing. The Butterfly Collector takes the girl to his flat, locks her up and brings English breakfast tea for her. The girl didn't know it was going to be like this. The next morning the police rescues the girl and send her back to her parents.

Ali I. Behbehani