President Zardari seems hell bent on shooting himself in the foot by this obstinate insistence to have himself surrounded by a coterie of men with only one common ambition in life; to make money irrespective of the consequences or questions of morality. But times have changed because of revolutionary advances in information technology, the emergence of a powerful independent judiciary and of a free electronic and print media. One is baffled why PPP had to look for only the most corrupt, or most controversial persons to head key positions in PIA, Steel Mills, PSO, TCP, National Bank, State Bank, NHA etc, etc. This tops the act of giving ministerial assignments to those allegedly involved in cases of financial impropriety or the ones wanted in serious criminal charges like murder or kidnapping. The President needs to distance himself from these contaminated elements that threaten to erode the credibility and future of the largest and most popular political party of Pakistan. If he refuses to heed the warnings emanating from various sections of the society, fate may not be kind to him. Pakistan has already suffered a lot because of the corrupt and incompetent misgovernence of men like Musharraf. The people have suffered no end because of insecurity, inflation, unemployment and manipulation of prices through cartels caused by Musharraf and his coterie. Now he and his family are living off the loot in London, instead of rotting in jail. -ANEELA CHANDIO, Sukkur, November 6.