“Javed Latif, the tin pot warrior of Maryam Nawaz, is still a federal minister waiting for a portfolio.”
“Tin pot?”
“The Travels of a Tin Pot warrior is a book about one individual who took a chance to leave his humble beginnings. He joined the army which proved to be disastrous but short lived and he then went on to live a life of adventure around the world which took him past invasions and revolutions and…”
“So which part of his career is devoted to becoming a tin pot warrior for Maryam Nawaz?”
“Don’t be facetious besides you have to acknowledge one thing with respect to Maryam: she rewards her minions well.”
“Hmmm, I don’t see Talal Chaudhary or Danial Aziz or Maryam and daddy’s spokesperson, Asad Umar’s brother…”
“Talal Chaudhary and Danial Aziz lost the 2018 elections, and Maryam and daddy’s spokesperson, unlike his younger brother, has never stood for elections but has been well rewarded – he was Governor Sindh you know…and there are many positions vacant and there is room for appointing special assistants to the prime minister…”
“His brother was deputy prime minister so put that in your pipe.”
“OK, that’s an easy one, I have begun to smoke a meerschaum pipe, which is made from the mineral sepiolite also known as meerschaum…”
“Oh does that make smoking it healthy?”
“No, but it is interesting cause the more you smoke the more the colour changes incrementally from shades of yellow to orange to red to amber…”
“Indeed, like the periodic turncoats in our politics…”
“Isn’t that more a quid pro quo – the highest bidder gets the cookie.”
“What?”
“Quid pro quo means Muk mukaa.”
“So Javed Latif has been rewarded for his devotion to Maryam Nawaz and the reward was given by a man he insulted, Shehbaz Sharif…”
“Indeed, indeed and he got a ministry though without a portfolio and Muhammad Zubayr didn’t so you reckon he is now closer to Maryam and daddy?”
“Maybe; he also said Nawaz Sharif will come after Eid.”
“It’s like saying I will return the loan after Eid.”
“But that could be fifty years from now.”
“That doesn’t make me a liar does it! Anyway I reckon Nawaz Sharif is not going to return till he gets a few guarantees.”
“Indeed.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022