Sir: Pakistan recently test fired nuclear-capable intermediate range ballistic missiles in the Hatf (Shaheen) series. These obvious displays of our military prowess are reminiscent of North Korea’s attempts to prove its muscle and are equally unremarkable. In today’s world, displays like this are hidden from view, not advertised, because countries prefer to use soft power rather than military power to achieve their goals. At least successful countries do. Attempts to enforce dictates militarily over the last 20 years have shown us the limitations of military might, even with as advanced and ubiquitous a global power as the US, which has the capability to sustain a short war at a moment’s notice virtually anywhere in the world. In a tribal society, what we are doing would be comparable to proving our manhood with a colourful display of warrior prowess. No one, least of all the Indians, for whom the display was undoubtedly intended, is impressed with this anymore. It might be more impressive if we instead eradicated polio and if the army focused on providing security to polio teams. ANJUM AHMAD GHAZALI Rawalpindi