Sir: Gone are the days when the civil service of Pakistan used to be honest, committed and result-oriented. It was because of such virtues and attributes that the common man could have his grievances heard and resolved without facing too much difficulty. The decline in the civil service set in when appointments through lateral entries began in the 70s, and has since been followed through by successive governments when decisions about the recruitment, transfers and postings of officers became the prerogative of the politicians and merit was thrown to the wind and when accountability became a thing of the past. Abdul Samad Samo Karachi