PARTLY FACETIOUS: Vision 2030 guy

“So yet another defeat, this time in Karachi.”

“The Khan says after he completes his tenure the people will vote the Pathan way…he keeps referring to doubling his party’s seats in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa in the 2018 elections…though with the loss of the Karachi seat his slim majority in parliament has become slimmer still…”

“Hey he did two things in KPK that he hasn’t done in Punjab or Balochistan – he reformed the police system where the downtrodden could register an FIR against an influential and in the event of a frivolous FIR the police would exact some penalty though I forget what and he got rid of ghost government employees. For Karachi he pledged a lot of money but I am not sure if that money has been released yet but even if it has there is nothing on the ground…”

“Oh there goes my thesis - I was going to talk about The Buzz versus Pervez Khattak.”

“The Khan compares The Buzz with Shahbaz Sharif and has convinced no one – not the dengue mosquitoes, not the people…”

“And not the students either – I thought Shafqat Mehmood, a decent bright man, would never be trolled on the social media but he has joined the ranks of the rest of the fifty plus cabinet…”

“Why doesn’t The Khan appoint Malala Yousafzai as Special Assistant on Education? She will be able to attract a lot more money at much better terms and our standing in the world would improve and…”

“Not happening – she has potential to be a greater star than the rest of the fifty plus cabinet members and that’s a no-no, besides she may refuse.”

“Anyway when I referred to the defeat in Karachi I was referring to the defeat of the PML-N not The Khan, I mean his party was not even third.’’

“Shahid Khaqan Abbasi has claimed rigging.”

“And that surprises you!”

“Maryam Nawaz has said rigging and…”

“And that surprises you? By the way reports at the time indicated that the choice of Shahid Khaqan Abbasi as the Prime Minister after Nawaz Sharif was forced to step down was made by the female members of his immediate family.”

“Hmmm, anyway I don’t know the PML-N candidate nominated for the position of leader of the opposition in the senate except that he is a lawyer but surely the PML-N is least suited to lead any group of people other than those within their own ranks and who say yes sir, yes sir, three bags full sir type; which may explain why the history of PML-N in their attempt at reconciliation has been very poor – remember the time when Nawaz Sharif invited Zardari sahib for a meal at the Prime Minister’s House and Zardari sahib made some construction industry related comments and tenure remarks and Sharif uninvited him…”

“I agree Zardari sahib is more suited for it though with him it is not easy to gauge when he will dump you…”

“Hey you win some you lose some but the PML-N needs to adapt its narrative and think long term and understand the difference between being in government and out of government is not only one of legal problems but requires a change in attitude and narrative and…”

“Their Vision 2030 guy…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021