NEGLECTED THAL: Life inThal is a mess. It has been a mess for long owing to lack of attention the areas has received from those with access to power. Thal comprises seven districts and a huge population, but, unfortunately, there is no medical college to cater to the healthcare and education needs of the locals. Likewise, there is no engineering, agriculture or women`s university in the whole region.

Inadequate facilities and subhuman conditions are forcing people to migrate to bigger cities. The relevant quarters should pay attention to this rather serious matter.

Khazir Klasra Islamabad KARACHI PLANNING: The city of Karachi was planned to grow horizontally, but then came the vertical eyesores, with the opportunistic lot buying out the old residents to erect commercial plazas and skyscrapers to make quick money. We are left with very few places where a family can live safely and have a complete sense of being in a home. People sitting in the judiciary seem to be well-versed with city planning than the politicians.

Bagar Rizvi Karachi PLAYING FAVOURITES: If a teacher is biased in favour of one student, or a group ofstudents,othersin the classfeel neglected. Not every student in the class has the same level of intelligence and articulation. The teachers need to understand the importance of their behaviour, and stop playing favourites.

The country needs strong, confident and intelligent youth. The teachers should celebrate the individuality of each student in the class.

Muqadas Akhtar Lahore SOARING PRICES: With reference to the editorial `Soaring prices` (Dec 2), I remember a legislator of the ruling party from Karachi confidently claiming on national television not too long ago that even if petrol prices shot up to Rs2,000 per litre, the people will not bother to protest. I suppose by `people` he meant `very rich Pakistanis`.

Shakir Lakhani Karachi