In the feudal society dominated by zamindars and the army, the middle class could not develop and prosper in Pakistan. The latter acts as a balancing catalyst in politics, but there still appears (from the days of the Raj) an illusion for something like the House of Lords!

The reason why the war in 1971 was lost is not so difficult for political analysts to fathom (although Jinnah could not conjecture the later state of affairs). Today General Musharraf has a difficult assignment before him to bring into effect a smooth transitory mechanism for Pakistan to settle down to a normal life without much interference from political blizzards.

The apocalyptic change in India is a good time to mend fences by the two countries (the huge defence budgets eat up the major share of the development funds supposed to be used for poverty alleviation). The very definition of 'neighbour' is perverted by official stands.

It is also time for Bangladeshi political leaders to review their rigid stands in the changing political modes of the decade. Make Saarc a fortress against foreign machinations, as this rich region can easily stand on its own feet, and meet any challenger face to face.