The height of mistrust in relations between India and Pakistan can be judge by the matter of the so-called hoax call from Indian External Affairs Minister Pranab Mukherjee to Pakistan President Asif Zardari. They say it could have triggered a war in the subcontinent. According to the press, on the night of November 28, the switchboard at the Presidency in Islamabad transferred a call from Indian External affairs ministry to Mr. Zardari without authenticating the caller's identity. The caller threatened to take direct military action against Islamabad. As a result, things got so tense that a top Pakistani security official in a media briefing announced that issues of war and peace hinged on the next 48-hours. The two countries hold talks on regular basis so it is rather ironic that they were brought to the brink by a single anonymous call. Leadership of India and Pakistan should act more sensibly in future. -M. AAMIR, Rawalpindi, via e-mail, December 6.