“Javed Iqbal, Chairman of the National Accountability Bureau sent a letter to the Public Accounts Committee that he has been instructed by The Khan not to appear before it…”

“And rightly so, Shehbaz Sharif is not yet convicted even though there is overwhelming evidence as per The Khan’s latest admission of failing to hold his predecessors accountable……”

“So who is responsible for that! The courts or is it Javed Iqbal…and…and wait let me finish Shehbaz Sharif is no longer the chairman of PAC, it’s Rana sahib and…”

“Rana Sanaullah?”

“No, Rana Tanvir, Rana Sanaullah was doing duty in Lahore as Maryam Nawaz addressed a press conference…”

“Who is Rana sahib supporting: Maryam or his long-time friend Shehbaz?”

“The ayes have it the ayes have it.”

“Hmmm, anyway Rana Tanvir and a member of the committee pointed out that The Khan should have issued a letter to PAC rather than for Chairman NAB to inform the PAC of the Prime Minister’s instructions.”

“Dr Babar Awan says that the Prime Minister has no tradition of writing to the national assembly or any of its committees and…”

“For your information he has withdrawn the Dr from his name because of tacky people like you challenging his PhD degree from Montecito and on the ministry of parliamentary affairs website the photograph of Babar Awan in his 20s or early 30s refers to him as Mr Zaheer-ud-din Babar Awan and not as Dr…”

“Right, but going back to Javed Iqbal is there a tradition of barring any man who is drawing a salary at the taxpayers’ expense to appear before a parliamentary committee?”

“I will have you know that Mr Babar Awan did not, I repeat did not conclusively say that Javed Iqbal had been so instructed…”

“And that is the mark of a very expensive lawyer – the client must have deniability…”

“Does The Khan realize that this very same instruction, if actually made, will set a precedent that would be used by subsequent governments against him and his party members?”

“No, The Khan says he is here to stay till death do us part.”

“Hmm, but looking at the Opposition I saw Maryam Nawaz’s press conference and I ask the PML-N whether she was the right face for commenting on PTI’s foreign funding…”

“I didn’t hear her but I imagine she did a Khan bashing and then a bit more and then sought his resignation…”

“I blame it all on former chief justice Iftekhar Chaudhary – by proactively engaging in suo motu he made us all lazy — I mean how many times a day don’t members of the opposition request for a suo motu notice or ask The Khan to voluntarily resign!”

“Let me tell you one major difference between the Nawaz Sharif family and the Zardari family: Zardari sahib and family have access to free legal representation in return for appointments of choice when the party is in power while daddy Nawaz, daughter Maryam and brothers Hussain and Hassan reckon they are smart enough to deal with the matters at hand – yes I know it has come to bite them but…”

“No that wasn’t what I wanted to point out – I mean with names like that I am reminded of Medina ki riyasat…”

“Oh shush.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021