“About that antique eight-seater bench of yours with the mother of all pearls inlaid…” “I told you mother of pearls does not mean the best pearl ever, it’s a reference to what surrounds a pearl and…”

“Right but is the bench for sale?”

“No I want it to remain in the family forever.”

“I suppose you do realize that your heir, immediate or further down the line, may sell it.”

“That would upset me very much.”

“Just one word of advice: if you really don’t want it to be sold down the line ever, then don’t leave it to your heirs, donate it to a museum.”

“That’s a Western concept not applicable to us in the Land of the Pure.”

“Right, anyway Pakistan has taken another lead globally…”

“What do you mean?”

“Two pillars of state are pitted against the remaining third pillar….and before you say anything the establishment is not considered a pillar of state.”

“What was your major in college? Accounting? I mean isn’t media considered the fourth pillar?”

“I am not sure that applies to the Land of the Pure any more. I mean with media personnel accepting the offer to become part of the executive for however short a period…”

“Chairman Cricket Board is hardly an executive position. I mean for the Sharifs it has become a dedicated position for the Man Who Shall Remain Nameless…just like the Finance portfolio is dedicated to The Accountant…”

“And we also have a fifth pillar which is thicker and more rounded than…”

“Many consider your fifth pillar as the foundation so we have no need for more than four pillars.”

“Right, anyway that was not what I meant when I said Pakistan has taken yet another lead globally.”

“We began the rein of the First Daughter.”

“That’s old news. And that wasn’t what I had in mind either. We in the Land of the Pure have taken a lead in replacing the charismatic with the boring and…”

“Well there we have gradations don’t we! I mean The Khan has more charisma than the First Daughter…”

Well the First Daughter and daddy aren’t going to ever accept that in spite of any evidence you may release, anyway what I meant was that The Khan is no longer the first news these days in land of the Pure…”

“There I agree.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023