If one has to identify the main cause of theincompetenceof the State Institutions, it is for sure the culture of holding endless meetings every day. In this electronic age, the decisions which can be made in seconds are discussed for days thus wasting precious time and resources which resultantly cripples the effective institutional working. Ironically, the number of meetings held by the officers has become a yardstick to judge their competence which is contrary to the International working norms where the main stress is towards delivery of services and immediate decision making. For how long will this facade of meetings will grow into our institutions as a cancer killing whatever productivity we are left with. DR. IRFAN ZAFAR, Islamabad, June 15.