Last Friday during tea time after listening to a very interesting and enlightening lecture on 'Islam and the West' delivered by Dr Maleeha Lodhi, H.C. for Pakistan to the UK at the AKUH Auditorium, I informally posed a question to her "Is there true democracy in any country of the world today."

Your expectations are too 'high' she replies. Sure, otherwise I would not have asked her - but please note how well - tactfully she completely avoided my question.

This is what you call diplomacy and as someone said these are the people who tell you to go to hell so sweetly that we look forward to the trip. Kudos to the lady.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2005