"You have to appreciate people like Sheikh Rashid."

"For remaining politically relevant even as the performance of the portfolio he holds plummets..."

"Hey that's not fair! I mean how well was Railways performing before he was made minister?"

"The number of train accidents increased considerably during his tenure though the man who likes no buffalos in his manicured garden may beat his record......"

"Don't be facetious - anyway I reckon instead of directing the police to hound the poor owners of the buffalos, Swati had transported them to the Prime Minister's House and the Prime Minister would have sold them with the other buffaloes in his inimitable drive to streamline the expenditure of the Prime Minister's House..."

"Don't be facetious...anyway neither Sheikh nor Swati is train driver, I mean these guys have no knowledge of how to prioritize Railways budget to ensure accidents are minimized, yes Sheikh gave appointments to people from his constituency but hey what if tomorrow no major party backs him so..."

"Not fair - don't compare the two men. Swati sahib is a rich man while Sheikh is not and all he has in his favour is what he says to the leader..."

"That explains why Swati sahib is a senator, selected by The Khan, while the Sheikh was elected...OK so he was elected after The Khan backed him and did not give a PTI ticket to anyone from that constituency..."

"There you go and let's be honest the number of serious failures of the Interior Ministry since the Sheikh took over break all previous records - no I am not referring to getting at least three politically exposed persons in England back into the country..."

"He is there because The Khan wants him there so put that in your pipe and smoke."

"Since The Khan came to power my smoking has increased exponentially and..."

"Well, appointments on merit have begun so in the event that you or your children are interested in getting a ministerial portfolio seek appointment in those institutions which are heavily represented in our cabinet - past and present..."

"Well, armed forces..."

"I meant from the private sector."

"A cricketer is out even though the Prime Minister is a former cricketer - I guess this was a one in a million..."

"How about Engro?"

"Perhaps you are right - or are you being facetious."

"Nope I wasn't, anyway you gotta appreciate Sheikh for his ability to have a portfolio come what may."

"I agree - Nawaz Sharif gave him the information ministry but when Sharif was exiled he gave his complete loyalty to Musharraf, which Nawaz Sharif the Unforgiving has no surprise not yet forgiven, but if I recall The Khan had a very poor opinion of Sheikh Rashid when he was serving Musharraf and the guy turned The Khan around and has the most coveted ministry today..."

"Indeed."

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021