"So it's back to square one."
"In what way - the economy is much worse off than three years ago from the perspective of the common man - food inflation is very high and the government's high support price policy has led to surplus wheat crop but has not enabled the poor to buy flour for rotis."
"So why don't they buy cakes. Isn't that what the French queen Marie Antoinette said?"
"Yes and she and her entire family were beheaded."
"That's not likely to happen here - the Presidential spokesperson has said they are going to reopen the case of Z A Bhutto's judicial murder."
"Ah yes and that would put the judiciary on the mat?"
"Babar Awan reckons so but the judiciary responsible for that injustice is long retired or dead. And need I add those who celebrated the murder are now part of the Presidential inner coterie."
"Have you not heard that in politics nothing is permanent?"
"Except point scoring but before you come out in defence let me accept that point scoring is not limited to the PPP alone. However the guy heading the UN Food programme has done a Pakistan Transparency International (PTI)?"
"Sorry?"
"The WFP guy attacked the government's farm policy and so he should revisit returning to this country. We all know what happened to Gilani of the PTI."
"OK so how are we back to square one, I mean the economy is worse off, the drone strikes are much more in number..."
"I meant in terms of the cricket diplomacy."
"Look at the glass being half full."
"How?"
"President Zardari has allowed the Prime Minister to go to Mohali to view the semi-final match, the President only likes to go to Western countries not south of Europe. Turkey is as far as he is willing to go."
"I reckon anyway let's hope the Prime Minister doesn't take a planeload of his relatives or the cabinet."
"Be realistic."
"OK then let's be grateful for small mercies - the cabinet has been cut in size because the JUI (F) and the MQM left the cabinet so the impact on the Treasury wouldn't be that much".
"Be positive: let's hope that there is some outcome to the talks between the two prime ministers."
"I doubt that too..."
"At least the Prime Minister would get to see the match live and outshine his host by his suits and his designer sun glasses."
"That I accept."