“Why, oh why, doesn’t The Khan rely on the elder Sharif to make appointments — I mean from his own perspective Nawaz Sharif was bowled out each time by those he appointed and…”
“The Khan reckons his case is different — he is very popular, he can win two third majority and do what he will with the constitution…why are you laughing?”
“There are many who did what they willed to our hapless constitution remember!”
“But he will do good while they did…did…not good.”
“OK but Nawaz Sharif won a heavy mandate back in 1997, heavy defined as two third majority, and did he complete his tenure?”
“I keep telling you, you can’t compare The Khan with him.”
“OK answer this, Maryam Nawaz and daddy bad mouthed two position holders in the army and the former is in London wanting to become prime minister for the fourth time and Maryam Nawaz is in Raiwind…”
“But she gets all the protocol…”
“Right but no seat in government which she covets. True she has a coterie of followers, for example she is to The Man Without a Portfolio what Parveen Rashid is to her…”
“Dear Lord first its Parvez Rashid and second The Khan has good on his side…”
“Religion should be above politics don’t you think; and true that many including the Maulana get votes on the basis of religion, and true The Khan was bitten by the religious bug late in life, very potent at that age, but for the Man Without A Portfolio to maintain that The Khan is not a Muslim must end and the solution is……”
“I reckon give him a portfolio that will keep him busy – how about the flood minister…”
“Nah that would bring him in proximity to Shehbaz Sharif and that’s a no-no.”
“How about energy or petroleum — these would keep him busy…”
“Not sure… I mean when Maryam Nawaz crocks her finger at her select few all they can say is Ji…”
“That’s only Ismail…”
“Anyway The Khan must surely be able to see that people power would only get him so far and that he needs institutional support to come to power, think 2018, and to stay in power, think March-April 2022.”
“Ah but that was before the surge in his popularity….”
“Hmmm, you mean a and b are no longer equal to ab but c?”
“Different variables as in different characters may yet change the outcome.”
“Hmmmm, let’s wait and see.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2022