Sir: An extreme level of ignorance and negligence by the responsible state organs was displayed in the case of the disastrous drought in Tharparkar. In the age of science and technology, where man is exploring water and life on other planets, humans still die of hunger and thirst in the presence of other fellow human beings and the state. It is indeed a pathetic situation. Meanwhile, what is commendable is the role of the media. It is in fact the coverage by Pakistan’s media, including different news channels and newspapers, that brought the disastrous case to the attention of stakeholders. It was after the broadcast of stories about deaths and drought that the government showed some momentum in taking action. Besides the government, other activists, NGOs, philanthropists, volunteers and individuals have come forward to rescue the victims of the disastrous drought in the sandy land of Thar. This is due to the media’s overwhelming coverage and presentation of the real situation there. The media has proved to be a helping hand for society. It is an unfortunate fact that, most of the time, the issues highlighted by the media remain unsolved and unresolved due to a lack of follow up and consistent watch. The news appears only for a specific period, soon disappears and is forgotten by the people as well. So the media has to come forward as stronger source of justice and accountability by keeping a record of these public issues and showing progress, if any, resulting from action by the stakeholders involved. As there exist many chronic problems that can suddenly erupt and create chaos, like the drought in Tharparkar, the consistent coverage of these problems may save us from further losses and may lead to immediate remedial action. KAMRAN AHMED SOOMRO Wuhan, China