"It's all about optics."

"Indeed politics is about optics so which party's optics did the general public favour more the day before the 16 October jalsa?"

"According to survey results..."

"Sorry don't believe survey results - some survey companies in this country always but always tilt in favour of the ruling party and before you say anything let me remind you of factors that are globally acknowledged as impacting on survey results including the surveyor's bias, reflected in the questions asked, the bias of the one surveyed and..."

"I thought surveys did reflect a bias one way or the other...but anyway when I said it's about optics I should have qualified that by saying that the selection of the optic is based on gauging of public perception..."

"Ooops and since all parties, especially their top leaders' reckon they are the true judge of public perception...."

"Ha, ha that's true, but so members of your fraternity, journalism - anyway some of these top leaders are elected and some are not...."

"Precisely and before you say anything let me remind you that the ranks of the unelected are not only The Khan's weakness but also Maryam Nawaz's - I am referring to Mohammad Zubayr, Talal Chaudhary, Parveen Rashid and..."

"Get your keyboard replaced I say. It's Parvez Rashid."

"Sorry anyway Bilawal Bhutto Zardari was accompanied by Kaira who is also not elected..."

"Indeed anyway an advertisement by the PML-N shows Maryam Nawaz saying wherever you look you will see Nawaz Sharif."

"Nawaz Sharif is no eye candy - I mean I may have voted for him in the past but it wasn't because of his looks...."

"Don't be facetious, you know what she was implying and...and...wait doesn't that remind you of the extremely effective Benazir Bhutto slogan.....how many Bhuttos will you kill, there will be a Bhutto in every house...."

"Hmmm anyway imitation is the best form of flattery but to be a great leader you need to be innovative."

"The Khan's optics on the eve of the Gujranwala show was innovative - he visited a panagah, which he established, when the Opposition leaders were complaining about a crackdown on their workers."

'"The Khan should realize that Zardari sahib tried this tactic - he distributed cheques under the Benazir Income Support Programme and guess what? He came second in terms of seats in the national assembly in 2013 and third in 2018, so a lesson learned for The Khan is that the people are not going to remain eternally grateful because you spent the tax payers' money on them...."

"Indeed but that's not the real optics - The Khan called a parliament session knowing that the opposition would be gathered in Gujranwala, to upstage them but I sincerely doubt if he will be top news once the opposition's caravans begin their journey towards Gujranwala."

"I agree."

"Oh yeah so what has been distinct about our leaders - civilian and military? And even The Khan is doing precisely what was done unto him during 2014."

"That's called lessons learned in Pakistan. The Khan used to say a lot before he came to power and now you tell me what is it that he is doing different - be it in his selection of cabinet or his economic policy or his foreign policy - even the ehssas programme has merely subsumed the Benazir Income Support Porgramme."

"There is one thing that he is doing different? Can you guess?"

"Yes I can and that brings me back to the optics.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2020