PARTLY FACETIOUS: Don’t put all your eggs in one basket

“I thought businessmen were savvy enough not to put all their eggs in one basket.”

“Who are you talking of? The richest businessman of the country whose IPP is included in the two out of 47 that are under investigation by National Accountability Bureau which has led to the babu’s reluctance to release the amount pledged under the contracts with IPPs under the pre-1994 and 1994 policy…”

“Actually I wasn’t referring to those with only a businessman’s avatar so to speak but to those who are into business and politics.”

“Ahhhh, the unholiest alliance of them all!”

“Don’t be facetious, and I am not referring to businessmen plus members of the federal cabinet today…”

“Give me another hint.”

“OK, someone who never stood for elections but was a cabinet member.”

“Past or present?”

“I keep forgetting there are very few new faces in the cabinet today…to answer your query, past.”

“Hmmm, couldn’t be Dar he was never a businessman always an accountant so who else…OK I give up tell me.”

“Miftah Ismail.”

“But how has he put all his eggs in one basket? Oh you mean the PML-N basket but then you need to do that in politics especially during elections.”

“Did you see the television footage of the posters he has put up in Karachi?”

“Can’t say that I have, though what that has to do with anything…”

“He has his photograph with Nawaz Sharif and with Maryam Nawaz but not a one with Shahbaz Sharif who incidentally barely lost to The Khan in one seat from Karachi during the 2018 elections.”

“Well, at the time he gave the order for the posters Shahbaz was in jail and Maryam was all in all…”

“Maybe, but his putting all his eggs in one basket led to one defeat as in setback already, Maryam Nawaz was barred from going to Karachi to help his campaign…”

“Wasn’t it Corona as she said?”

“Corona never held her back before…”

“Wasn’t it the fear after her critical comments of Zardari sahib being bhari (heavy) that this time Captain Safdar wouldn’t be released quite so easily…”

“Nope, for then the similarities with Benazir would have been stark.”

“Don’t be facetious.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021