During the 'spot-fixing' in cricket hearings under the aegis of International Cricket Council (ICC), being currently held in Doha, Qatar, the accused Pakistani cricketers Salman Butt, Mohammad Asif and Mohammad Aamer, for their alleged involvement in the affair, have expressed complete ignorance and abject surprise that how did Mazhar Majeed, the bookie and agent of the 3 cricketers, know which balls would be called "no-balls", well in advance of the each delivery?
However, when it comes to making predictions in Pakistan's manipulative politics, we, the public, is no less than Nostradamus for making 100 percent correct predictions. For instance, take the last week's pullout of the MQM from the federal coalition government and decision to sit on the opposition benches. Without an iota of astonishment, all readers of country's print media, who had sent in their respective assessment of the situation relative to the issue, have scored a "bull's eye", as all of them, without exception, had predicted that the week-old opposition would not last long and revert gleefully, to the treasury benches. True to peoples' prediction, made over a week ago, the MQM has returned as trusted coalition partner of the ruling PPP! The predictions of the people have come true, not at all amazing, by any stretch of imagination.
The tainted cricket trio may express their surprise over Mazhar Majeed's predictions, whatever the reasons may be, but there is no element of surprise in the predictions of common Pakistanis, at large, made in the matters of Pakistan's chequered politics.
The reason being that ordinary Pakistanis have a deep insight, learned from experience and know inside out of our politicians and as Sherlock Holmes would quip to Dr Watson with a degree of disdain, "elementary", dear politicians.