It is about three and a half years now that the PPP is ruling our country with the slogan of "democracy is the best revenge". However, one finds hardly anything democratic in its rule. All the decisions are taken in the President's House which is the hub of all political activities against the sanctity of the office of the President. According to the constitution, the head of the state should be above the party politics even if he belongs to a particular political party. Unfortunately, the President is openly violating this clause of the constitution and running the country through his close associates or buddies of PPP with his two strong henchmen Dr Babar Awan and Dr Rehman Malik, the interior minister. Everything in the country is haywire. When any of the governments wrong action is protested either on the roads or their wrong step is pointed out by the media or suo moto notice taken by the Supreme Court , there is always a U-turn and then the decision is reversed by the government. After taking their decision back, they call it "It is the beauty of democracy". The public observes following follies in this government and enquires the rulers why it is so: 1. No key appointment is made on merit. The corrupt, close relatives and friends are being obliged on key jobs. 2. The corrupt and inefficient so found are being given unnecessary and obvious protection. 3. There is no check and balance in any of the government departments. 4. Law and order situation in the country is the worst so far in the history of Pakistan. Yet no one is resigning. 5. The major institutions like Wapda, Pakistan Steel Mills, PIA, Railways, OGDC, PCB, Banks etc are being headed by the incompetent and corrupt people and all are running in loss rather these have been grounded to almost complete halt. There is over all deterioration in every field. 6. Teachers, railway workers, KESC employees, government nurses, lady health workers etc are not getting their salaries for the last many months. 7. Due to loadshedding of gas and electricity millions of workers have either become jobless or have been shown the door. 8. With skyrocketing prices of utility and food items, there is tremendous increase in street crimes, dacoities, loot and murders. 9. People affected by the devastating earthquake of Oct 2005 and floods of 2010 and 2011 have yet not been rehabilitated and some are dying of hunger. The aid items have found their way into the markets. No one is there to investigate as concerned people are getting their share. 10. There is rampant corruption in every government department and one has to grease the palm of concerned official to get his/her work done. No one is there to check it. 11. With all the above weak areas, the government feels they are doing a great job instead of resigning as they have failed to govern the country. With such an oppression and deep economic recession, one finds no change in the royal living style of the rulers. Each meeting is followed by lavish lunch or dinner, frequent traveling in personal official planes within and outside the country, protocol cavalcades comprising hundreds of vehicles with each VVIP whenever they move out, sending parliamentarians abroad for medical treatment or on orientation tours, importing bullet proof limousines for each federal minister or any of the party worker who feels insecure from the terrorists and there are hundreds of other hidden expenditures which is not known to the public. This shows how much concern our rulers show towards the poor masses. It is a great shame for the rulers and the famous adage of "Nero was playing the flute while Rome was burning" fits very well for our rulers. MUHAMMAD AZHAR KHWAJA, Lahore, October 18.