"Heard the latest?"
"What? That sermons given after Friday prayers will be recorded?"
"Yes."
"Well, I can see where they are coming from."
"So can I: from trying to stop the Imams from spreading hate and encouraging violence."
"I can also see where they may inadvertently go with this?"
"Lynching..."
"Don't think the police will wear their uniforms and attend the sermons, they will probably just place the device in an unobtrusive place..."
"Even if they are not physically present this could still lead to lynching of their stations by mobs!"
"That's true."
"And it could also lead to protest movements and strengthen the hands of the religious parties..."
"Nothing the Government can get from them in any case."
"Right the constitutional amendment was legitimised and..."
"Musharraf didn't take his uniform off so that deal is off."
"But you know how many recordings there will be of these Friday sermons. Who in the world will listen to them all?"
"Station house officers are to give a report on the recorded sermons and speeches to district police officers on a weekly basis."
"And I can well imagine there is danger that those opposed to a certain Maulana will try to influence these station officers and..."
"You have a very suspicious mind."
"I have lived in this country all my life."
"But look at the positive side of the thing."
"And what is that?"
"It will increase employment opportunities."
"That's one way to look at it. Another is that the station officers will be so busy making the sermon reports that they will have no time for their normal duties."
"And yet another way to look at it would be from the perspective of the station officers' life style."
"What in the world are you referring to?"
"Well, the government will have to purchase many, many recorders and something tells me lose many, many recorders..."
"So a net loss to the exchequer!"
"Right."