All developing countries have problems of allocation of development funds, balancing strategic projects like infrastructural undertakings with people's welfare and so on. In Pakistan, though, we seldom hear such words. We have issues like power outages, sugar crisis, atta crisis, this scandal and that scandal. When PPP people come on television channels, they utter meaningless rhetoric, mostly drivel in praise of their leaders, just to cement their positions in the hierarchy. What kind of democracy are they preaching? A democracy where opposition parties agree with the ruling party all the time and on all issues? No opposition at all? In our democracy, the PM actually demands on the floor of the house, "Bring me a resolution of 100% consensus and I assure you I will support it". Is this some kind of a joke or an attempt at hoodwinking the people? Amusing as we all found it to be, the Meera scandal was a clever ploy to keep the people sidetracked. I admire the intelligence of the planners of the ruling junta. They have a bagful of these tricks. -AMJAD HABIB MIRZA, Lahore, September 25.