Sir: The wave of terrorism has touched unprecedented levels in Pakistan. The situation in Karachi and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has worsened over time. Even the targeted operation in Karachi has failed to produce the desired results. I believe one of the reasons for the surge in terrorism has been the low conviction rate in the country. The terrorists or any other high profile criminals know that the country’s laws are too weak and porous to convict them. The criminals are rarely arrested and if by any chance they are, witnesses refuse to testify against them. Even if a case is pursued and concluded positively with all the evidence and witnesses available, it is rare that punishment such as the death penalty is meted out. The death penalty cannot be bypassed in certain cases. It goes without saying that such acts of the government will continue to demoralize the law enforcement agencies. It will eventually make Pakistan a free-for-all society and promote the tribal culture of settling personal scores by taking the law in one’s own hands. Tahir Mahmood Nadeem Jubail, Saudi Arabia