“I reckon everyone is on autopilot.”
“What?”
“The Khan is on autopilot and has blocked a few numbers…”
“He reckons the time for talking is over as large jalsas are proving much more effective as a bargaining chip.”
“Right, anyway Shehbaz Sharif is on autopilot juggling the two opposing views within his brother’s party — to have elections within the next four to five months or to defer till next year…”
“The Brothers are one aren’t they!”
“Big Brother, and I do mean the Deep, Deep, State Within the Party, is being rent asunder between Little Brother versus Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Maryam Nawaz, Parveen Rashid and…”
“Granted that Parvez Rashid is nowhere in this government, but he can get you for this persistent typographical error now that the Prime Minister is from PML-N.”
“Not my intent, I apologise profusely, anyway I hear there are meetings with prospective caretakers and…”
“And I would like to quote Edwin Lefevre who said nowhere does history indulge in repetitions so often or so uniformly as in Wall Street. I would like to give it a Pakistani twist by saying that nowhere does history indulge in repetitions so often or so uniformly as in Pakistani political appointments.”
“Ha ha, that’s true I see a lot of non-residents back in the country and…”
“Right and Lefevre further said the game does not change and neither does human nature.”
“Hmmm, but I have one question.”
“I can imagine what it is…but I am not going to name anyone…”
“In Pakistan, naming and shaming doesn’t really have any short-term leave alone medium to long term effect. But no that was not my question.”
“Oh you want to know the likelihood of acceptance of appointments given today’s politically charged atmosphere…”
“Nope, I want to know whether you think Zardari sahib is also on autopilot?”
“Well let’s put it this way Shehbaz Sharif and The Maulana…”
“Not my question.”
“Zardari sahib will have some aces up his sleeve and appointments — be they as leader of the house or constitutional positions has always, always, been a matter of deep interest to him.”
“Indeed, so not on autopilot but willing to adapt and…”
“Zardari sahib is like our constitution — amendment is possible but not without some serious give and more give…”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022