Partly Facetious: our Eighteenth Amendment

11 Dec, 2006

"Nawaz will return before the elections."
"Be reasonable. How can he? They'll bundle him right out like they did his brother. I mean it's not as if this scenario hasn't been played out already."
"Well, but this is different. They can not do unto Nawaz what they did unto his brother if you know what I mean."
"Irrespective of what you and I may think of Nawaz's potential vis a vis his brother, the fact remains that Nawaz has the vote bank and not Shahbaz. So if they did not let the younger Sharif into the country then why would they let a former PM enter?"
"You reckon that's our eighteenth amendment."
"What?"
"No former elected PM is to enter the country during the new and improved democracy."
"That sounds about right, doesn't it?"
"But Nawaz is committed."
"Nawaz says he is committed to return but believe me he will be bundled right out! If he thinks differently then...then...then he has even a lower IQ than he exhibited when he directed the PIA plane carrying Musharraf back from Sri Lanka to go to India."
"And BB will also return with Nawaz."
"And if wishes were horses."
"OK but they have a right to return to their country."
"Musharraf says he made a deal with the Saudis for ten years and that..."
"Is it legal to make a deal with a foreign power about one of our nationals and...?"
"Common sense says no but then there is a lot happening here that defies logic."
"So you reckon Nawaz and BB will not be able to return."
"I can't understand why Musharraf feels threatened by these two. I mean it's not as if he doesn't control all the institutions in the country. It's not even as if there is any chance that he will allow his Lotas to lose the elections. I mean I see this as an overkill."
"I agree. If you want to discredit Nawaz and BB then the best way to do so is in their own backyard, in politics. Show to the world that they don't have the vote bank either..."
"That is not possible..."
"There will be ballot management - you know it and I know it..."
"But I reckon the extent of ballot management that may have to be resorted to in case these two return would be significant and not easily dismissable..."
"Remember the referendum..."
"Right yes that does disprove my theory doesn't it, but facts do point to the rulers feeling threatened by these two leaders."
"There I would have to agree."

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