Senator Raza Rabbani and his Constitutional Reforms Committee deserve all praise, indeed a standing ovation from all of us, for having accomplished the historic task of cobbling together a consensus on the 18th Amendment. They have truly rehabilitated the original spirit of our badly-mutilated constitution. Despite occasional bumbling, the government and parliament have also shown the necessary resolve to carry the 18th Amendment Bill through. If you count one by one, the Balochistan Package, Gilgit-Baltistan Autonomy Ordinance, NFC Award etc are all extra-ordinary achievements, each having the potential to positively alter the course of our national direction. These achievement could have paved the way for better governance and truly participatory politics in this country. They are proof positive that democracy always pays and in it lies survival of this hapless country whom Senator Raza Rabbani has done proud on the day he moved this Bill. But unfortunate as it is, he is unlikely to get the credit due to him on this landmark achievement. In his address to joint sitting of the Parliament, the President chose his sycophant Babar Awan for praise and gave all credit to him for the whole effort done by Mr Rabbani. This was in rank bad taste. President then went ahead to shower laurels on yet another of his chamchas, Rehman Malik, who had no role whatsoever in the whole affair. The irony is that these two are the persons responsible for present predicament of this government. -RASHEED TORU, Faisalabad, April 14.