OPINION

Recipe for peace

Re: "India at 75 and what might have been," (Opinion, Aug 20).

Gwynne makes excellent observations about the partition of India in 1947. Carving up Pakistan on religious grounds was one of the biggest blunders of the British empire. For centuries, the Punjab, Kashmir, and other provinces in the North of India were ruled by Hindu, Muslim, and Sikh Maharajas. People lived in relative peace and harmony.

The creation of Pakistan based on religion has not only fomented and increased communal hatred, strife, and wars but also resulted in wasting precious resources on warfare. Now Pakistan is on the verge of bankruptcy, but East Pakistan liberated into becoming Bangladesh is progressing economically. In India and Pakistan, half of the population lives in poverty. Yet they remain at loggerheads with their useless missiles and nuclear arsenal. Pakistan and India need a major overhaul of their polity, which remains drowned in a cesspool of caste, creed, and religion.

Many countries can thrive with diverse religions, languages, and cultures. Sadly, on both sides of the India-Pak border, the leaders have used religion to exploit the masses and keep them divided. No country can progress with the constant buzz of communal hatred and war.

Moving forward, India and Pakistan must consider the US-Canadian model, promoting free travel, investment, and trade across the border. After all, people on both sides of the borders had lived as neighbors for centuries before the country was divided by the zealots.

Re: "Down with meat" (PostBag, Aug 21).

I think Eric Bahrt should read Milo King's letter again. I suspect there is a little satire and irony in there. At the risk of sending Mr Bahrt into an apoplectic rage let me point out a simple fact. I'm hungry, the cow's made of beer: it's nothing personal.

Re: "Down with vaccines," (PostBag, Aug 21).

I am astonished that the Post still allows people to spread ludicrous Covid lies without any attempt at fact-checking.

Michael Setter still ignores the mountain of scientific evidence that shows:

The risks of both short and long-term cardiovascular issues, neurological issues and other symptoms caused by Covid infection are far higher in the infected than the unvaccinated.

Covid vaccines were an effective measure against early variants, and still provide a level of protection against new variants such as Omicron; both the severity of infection and the prevalence of Long Covid are far lower in the vaccinated.

Vaccines that protect against Omicron are already proving their effectiveness in testing, and are being approved for use in the vulnerable and immunocompromised.

Ivermectin does nothing to fight Covid and any attempts by snake oil salesmen to create papers proving otherwise has been debunked in every case.

The two massive efforts to examine Ivermectin have failed to show any effect of this antiparasitic against the SARS-CoV-2 virus. I'm sure Ivermectin in sufficient doses will kill the virus; however it would achieve this by killing the host.

Mr Setter would do well to take an objective look at Covid research rather than falling victim to his confirmation bias and only seeking out "stories" that reinforce his naive beliefs. And the Post should assign staff to check the veracity of these claims before they are published.

Publishing such hysterical, factually incorrect "opinion" without caution is a risk to public health.