PARTLY FACETIOUS: A recent up for IK and a down for JKT

"Relationships evolve over time and they needn't get better."

"Hey that's a given in this life. I mean there are ups and downs in one's life..."

"The only thing is what may be an up for you may be a down for me?"

"Knowing you are a political animal, I would guess you are referring to a recent up for The Khan and a down for Jehangir Khan Tareen."

"No, that's old news!"

"Wait let me take another guess - the Return of Batman in the corridors of power..."

"Batman?"

"Asad Umer, remember he was dismissed through a tweet or was it a whatsapp?"

"Do not, I repeat do not, understate the criticality of a tweet or a whatsapp message for The Khan. He divorced his second wife through an electronic message...."

"Don't be facetious - anyway Umer's brother reportedly requested a meeting with the chief of army staff and met him twice...."

"Hmmm why would..."

"The father of the Brothers' Umer was a General, and so the two are army brats with connections..."

"I see so where is Shahbaz Sharif, I used to hear of Shahbaz Sharif and his erstwhile pal, Chaudhary Nisar whose elder brother was a general in the army as well, meeting the chief in the dead of night and....."

"Ha ha indeed but when I said relationships evolve I was referring to Maryam Nawaz - Zubair is her man, she got him the governorship of Sindh, reportedly..."

"Is that your attempt at deniability, reportedly my foot!"

"Anyway when Maryam was asked about the meetings of senior party leaders with the army chief the political pundits assume that she knew what was said during those meetings even though she said she wasn't sure whether Nawaz Sharif knew details..."

"So you reckon perhaps she didn't know?"

"Yes and maybe daddy isn't telling her everything either or discussing what he is thinking with her - from what I hear and need I add reportedly, her brothers are not too enamoured with her decisions that have led to the conviction and incarceration of their dad and..."

"Hmm if I was Hussain or Hassan I wouldn't like my parents to give her name as trustee to the family wealth in an offshore account..."

"Anyway daddy is with her brothers and I reckon their influence is a tad more now unlike in the past...."

"Ahhh and Zubair sahib knows it."

"Everyone knows it but Sheikh Rashid whose prediction of a S League is as flawed as.....as...."

"As is the fact that it doesn't take long to unseat an elected government and it doesn't take long for a prodigal to be welcomed back into the fold."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020