1980s; the military establishment supports PML, religious parties and forms MQM. It opposes PPP and ANP. 1990s; the military establishment sometimes supports and sometimes opposes PML, PPP. It opposes MQM and ANP. 2000s; the military establishment breaks PMLN and PPPP and unites them as PML. It forms MMA and breaks it later. It opposes PPP and ANP and supports them later. It supports MQM. It opposes PMLN. Thus the three decades old political ping pong game goes on. The biggest losers in this game are those political parties which are treated like ping pong balls. And yet its leaders stand up and give lectures on democracy. What a shame. GHAYUR AYUB, London, January 3.