On 24th of May, there was a press conference by Ms Fauzia Wahab in which she said that the operation in Swat has been launched after very careful consideration. However the facts belie this assertion. On the contrary it is evident that the rulers had given no thought at all to the consequences and did not have the least idea that this operation would cause such a huge displacement of the indigenous population. If they had given any thought to this eventuality, there would have been a pre-planned arrangement for housing, food and healthcare for these unfortunate millions. What we see is a haphazard throwing up of tent villages with no regard for the oppressive hot weather, no proper arrangements for food or any planned medical care. The result is that those who survived the fighting are facing great hardships in surviving the cruel circumstance they are thrown in. They are often starving, do not have adequate water for drinking and have no facilities of sanitation. Diseases like gastro are spreading like wild fire in camps taking a heavy toll of life. -DR ZAHEER ASGHAR KHAN, Lahore, via e-mail, May 25.