BROWN, CLEAN UP YOUR OWN HOUSE

According to press reports, British Prime Minister Gordon Brown was
furious over the death sentence given by Chinese courts to Akmal
Shaikh, a British national who was arrested with 4 kg of heroin in his
possession.

A few countries grant death sentence for drug offences. The execution
of Shaikh is in accordance with Chinese law so there is absolutely no
need for Brown to raise too much fuss over it.

I have seen what drugs can do to people, to families and to
communities and I strongly feel that the drug trade is one offence
that should carry a mandatory death sentence.

If Gordon Brown had to express outrage at all, he should have done so
over the criminal conduct of the former British government led by Tony
Blair, which launched an illegal, unjust and brutal attack on Iraq
that resulted in the death, wounding and displacement of a few million
innocent Iraqis. Far from condemning the war, he did his best to
shield the culprit. And now Gordon Brown's own government is part of a
criminal gang that is going around killing a lot of innocent Afghan
men, women and children through indiscriminate bombardment.

Instead of criticizing China, Gordon Brown better put his own house in
order.

S.R.H. Hashmi

Karachi, Pakistan