“Did you know that Pegasus spyware that allows governments to use it to spy on its own citizens…”
“Yeah I heard, in Spain arrests were made…”
“What about Pakistan?”
“Well, it’s an Israeli company, NSO, that sells this military grade surveillance spyware and since we have no direct links…”
“Stop it right now — have you heard of third-party procurement?”
“I had heard of third-party audit, third-party validating the tax bill given by the Federal Board of Revenue…”
“Hmm, that’s all down to The Third Man — Shaukat Tarin.”
“Third man?”
“Third finance minister of The Khan, and I am not including the plugger — Hammad Azhar — you know appointed till The Khan decided on the next man…”
“Right, however do you think that the delegation of Pakistanis as per The Khan who visited Israel…”
“It is my understanding that the Pegasus spyware was procured before the chaliswaan (40 days after a death) of the current government…”
“Dear Lord that brings me back to the two audio releases – one was by Maryam Nawaz! My earnest plea: could somebody tell her that chaliswaan is associated with death and not birth and to refer to your own government’s chaliswaan when the prime minister is on the same stage is…is…?”
“Silly, that’s media management.”
“Ha ha, so she reckons - and woe to anyone of the Sharif cabinet who thinks otherwise.”
“And The Khan’s audio?”
“Well I don’t hear The Khan on that audio — Malik Riaz paid 190 million pounds fine to UK authorities when he lost the case and The Khan allowed this amount to be adjusted with what the tycoon was to pay to the Pakistani government after losing the case in our courts and…”
“And Riaz also gave quite a bit of land to Mr and Mrs Khan and…”
“If I recall correctly Riaz also gave a Mercedes to Hamza Shehbaz which angered Chaudhary Nisar at a time when he was still in favour with the elder Sharifs and he gave a house to Zardari sahib in Lahore and…”
“Maybe we can give him the finance ministry as he knows how to make everyone happy!”
“Don’t be facetious.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022