What a tragic nation we have become in the last three years? The destiny of Pakistan hangs in balance to protect the infamous billion of dollars assets in Swiss banks. Every effort from day one has been made to protect it. Extra- constitutional methods are chosen to perpetuate unlimited powers of the ruling elite and accumulate wealth. In the process, the country during the past few years has been plundered mercilessly. Incompetence and massive corruption has caused multiple crises in the country ranging from sugar shortage to power outages. The people even do not have clean drinking water. Inflation and sky-high prices of every day food items are pushing people to extreme acts like suicide. Foreign loans have also increased and total debt is now hitting 9000 billion rupees. Yet a new loan being is sought from the IMF, which will put our economic and political sovereignty into total subjugation. What is worse, the so-called reformed VAT would only deform and cripple the poor classes. Let the ruling elite rise to the occasion and donate every rupee whether here or abroad to national treasury to save the nation from disintegration and economic disaster. NOOURE ZEENATE JEHAN, Karachi, October 15.