The daylight saving methodology is relevant only in countries lying at higher latitudes where the difference of sunlight between summer and winter is much more pronounced. They can change the clocks to make use of this difference. These days, even they are having second thoughts about the usefulness of this method. Countries situated close to the equator like ours have ample sunlight all year around. In fact, we spend our lives hiding from the sun. For this reason alone our social gatherings do not start before sunset. Try giving an earlier time for a wedding reception. You will be in for a rude shock as nobody will turn up. Even our romantic songs are all about clouds and rain whereas in the West they talk about 'every cloud having a silver lining'. I could go on and on to write a technical essay on the reasons for not going through with this stupidity of daylight saving but it would only fall on deaf ears. Suffice is to say that just as we do not need sun bathing to improve our tan, daylight saving is also not for us. Simply revise the office and shop timings to achieve the objective. Please do not tamper with the clocks, for apart from religious constraints concerning prayer timings; there will be utter confusion in Ramzan. Half the country, especially the far-flung areas, would not even know what the hour is at any given time. -NAEEM RAZZAK ZAMZAMA, Karachi, via e-mail, May 17.