Dear Mr. James Reese, Christian greetings from Pakistan. Thank you very much for your mail. I must assure you and the American people that our nuclear programme is in safe hands. What the media reports is not always correct. What I write is my first hand experience. If we did not have nuclear deterrent, our enemies would have tried to roll into Pakistan long ago. Having relatively small armed forces and keeping the geopolitical situation in this region, we do need nuclear deterrent. We have experienced in Past that despite being American allies in SEATO and CENTO and Mutual Defense Pact of 1959, we the territorial integrity of Pakistan was in danger, America backed out. I have no doubts that if our enemies drop a nuclear bomb on us, America would not do anny thing. Our enemies will no face the "Wrath of America". (word wrath is usually used for God and not men). Pakistan and Turkey are the only two countries that are not radical and does not tolerate radicals in any way. There is a limit or a line drawn where Islamic extremism (if that is a correct term) is tolerated by the government and people of Pakistan. The proof is the "thin religious parties demonstrations since September 2001. As soldier you must be knowing that a nuclear bomb can not be used as a conventional bomb. All the components are kept separate and are operated in a set sequence. It will require a considerable know-how and a period of time to make the bomb explode. Therefore no American city is under threat from Pakistani nuclear weaponry. North Korea is no threat to America and the American administration knows it. I personally feel that injustice has been done in various parts of the word. America being the only super power should have ensured justice for all. Not for Israel or India. What we see bleeding humanity all over our region. The Kashmiri blood and Palestinian blood is so cheap these days that it bother not only our people but I just learned that there have been 300 demonstrations in America alone against the war against Iraq. Please read my article on Pakistan Christian Post dated 7th March 2003. The title is "Unjustified War". Before 1989, the former Soviet Union was considered a country behind the "iron curtain" now I say it is the United States. We are not allowed to travel to your country. You know that only place a Pakistani can apply for American Visa is American embassy in Islamabad. People travel from Karachi, by road, rail or air almost one thousand miles on the date given by the American Visa office to be refused in less than five minutes. When you come to Pakistan you will come to know that traveling is not so easy in Pakistan and it is expensive too. Your embassy staff finds "terrorists" in a 75 years old woman who wants to go and meet her daughter and relatives in America. She can afford every thing but imagine she travel 280 miles to Islamabad stayed a night there and came back with a refusal. The America policy to admit wealthy people in America caused the 9.11 yet the poor harmless and people who want to look for a better future in America as present day American did long ago are denied visa. Pakistan being an Islamic state does have visa restrictions for Christian religious leaders yet they are not very strict about that. We have Christian preacher comingto Pakistan every now and then. Yet we the Christians of Pakistan are very special people for America. in 99% cases we are denied American Visa because we can not produce a healthy bank statement. You are an American, you can tell me better. Has any Pakistani Christian created problem for the people and the government of United States? Frankly speaking I personal am not against "blasphemy laws". These laws were there in all Islamic countries since last fourteen hundred years plus. I am against the wrong use of this law. Even if these laws known as 295-BE and 295-CO of the Pakistan Penal Code are abolished officially they would stay unofficially. I know that our Christian Community is very careful yet some Islamic elements use these laws to settle their personal scores with Christian community as in case of Mr. Pervaiz Masih. As I wrote earlier, he was victim of business rivalry. Yet this can not be over seen and over looked. However in 97% Muslim populated country, it can not be replead. Nogovernment civil of military can afford to do so. That is why I do not speak against the law but against the misuse of this law. In 1995, I suggested that to investigate such cases, a committee may formed with a Muslim Member of National Assembly and a Christian Member of National Assembly, Local Muslim and Christian Clergy and the local administration. Well, our Christian leadership laughed at me. The so-called Primate of Pakistan though claims to be a Human Rights Activist is so ignorant that he spends most of his time in Europe and America. In my opinion it is the "Mega Churches" leadership that is responsible for all our troubles here in Pakistan. I spoke to the former Federal Minister for Minority Affairs Colonel S. K. Tressler and he assured me that he will speak to Muslim clergy in Islamabad and may be in Sialkot. Yet it will take time. The reason is that no lower court will acquits a person accused of blasphemy. Even a High Court Judge was killed who acquitted two Christian few years back. Therefore it is only the Supreme Court of Pakistan that can and has provided justice to the accused under blasphemy law. Ayub Masih is the latest case. No one knows where he is now but where ever he is he is safe. I apologize if I have written any thing that has annoyed you, yet I am a person who loves his country more than he loves himself. I hope being a soldier you will understand sentiments of a soldier. We live to defend our country and die defending it. As General McArthur said "an old soldier never dies he fades away". We do fade away yet the love we have for our respective countries never fades away. May the Lord bless you and I pray for your visit to Pakistan and success in getting Mr. Pervaiz Masih acquitted and taken to America as he has no future in Pakistan even after his acquittal. In Lord Jesus Christ, Bishop Timotheus Nasir