PARTLY FACETIOUS: The elite are more liberal

“I always thought letter and spirit go together.”

“Only in civilised societies.”

“So I guess the two go together as far as Zaman Park residents are concerned – nearly all are upper middle to rich and have university degrees…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

“But I am right! I mean the elite are more liberal while the rest of the population, and need I add, they have grown exponentially in numbers after the flawed policies of our revolving finance ministers…”

“Hey isn’t the Caretaker finance minister technically a revolving…”

“Hmmmm, and maybe the caretaker advisor is the checkmate.”

“I don’t get it? Is he the check or the mate?”

“That’s the wrong question to ask. The correct question is: is he the letter or the spirit!”

“Don’t be facetious, anyway going back to what you said about letter and spirit…they do not go together in the Land of the Pure.”

“That’s certainly right. The letter of the law gives full autonomy to Governor State Bank of Pakistan but the spirit during the Disastrous Dar months was never followed.”

“How come?”

“Have you heard the phrase don’t bite the hand that feeds you.”

“Yes I have but that too doesn’t always apply in the Land of the Pure. I mean when the hand is in power then…”

“Stop being so disheartened. That’s no longer allowed.”

“From ghabrana nahi (don’t panic) to don’t get disheartened.”

“Meanwhile we, the general public - working not for government but for the private sector - are increasingly unable to meet our basic needs.”

“You are not important. What is important is whether the President’s tweet and subsequent removal of his secretary was an action that smacked of adhering to the letter or the spirit of the constitution.”

“Ha, ha that’s a good one. For the members of the outgoing government, the spirit is relevant and for those who were the outgoing government on 10 April 2022 it is the letter.”

“And what do you think?”

“Remember Iqbal: he who does not command himself

Becomes a receiver of commands from others.”

“Indeed, so what are you trying to say? The others being the judiciary which is being called upon to interpret constitutional clauses one by one by one by…”

“And others.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023