Times were when petrol was Rs 2.50 per gallon (and a gallon was 4 1/2 liters). When the war started, the government imposed a war tax of Re 1 per gallon. When there was a flood catastrophe in 1971 in East Pakistan, a tax of further Re1 was imposed as a flood relief measure. Later when the 1971 war started another war tax of Re 1 was imposed and the petrol was sold at Rs 5.50 per gallon. When Bhutto assumed power in 1971, the petrol prices had a meteoric rise and look where are we now. What I wish to know is that are we still paying those war and flood-relief taxes? Another point I wish to make is that every electricity user is taxed Rs 25 per month in his bill for PTV usage. But not many people in Pakistan choose to benefit from the PTV broadcast? It must be infinitesimally small but it is still an unfair tax as most people don't even wish to view the PTV. We are actually paying a 'Jugga tax' to the government. -DR ZAHEER ASGHAR KHAN, Lahore, via e-mail, August 16.