There is a lot of discussion in media about the traffic chaos caused by the VVIP motorcades in Pakistani cities. There have been horrific incidents in which patients have died as stuck up ambulances could not reach the hospitals. In Britain, on 6th of April, Prime Minister Gordon Brown was to have an audience with Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II at Buckingham Palace, in preparation for the national elections. Prime Ministers motorcade on this occasion had just 2 cars i.e. one police car leading and the Prime Ministers car. In addition, there were about 5 police motorcyclists, coming along even though they were not part of the motorcade. The Prime Minister was accompanied by one staff member and one driver only. At the Buckingham Palace, he was received by just one person, the Queens Private Secretary. 40 years ago when I used to live in Pakistan, we found it hard to believe that leaders of other nations could live a life without the pomp and show we saw around our rulers. One of my colleagues in WAPDA House, Lahore would often narrate how he met the Swedish Prime Minister everyday in Stockholm while they both walked to their respective offices. We always found it hard to believe. More recently, I met a friend from Sweden. He told me how he saw the Swedish Prime Minister in a gift shop, buying something. While paying for the item, the Prime Minister told the cashier that he had to hurry otherwise he would get a parking ticket -KHALID A, London, April 13