“Dialogue and not monologue is what is needed.” “Well both sides are engaged in monologues – and government ministers eat your hearts out, you may be using facilities at the taxpayers’ expense but The Khan has Pakistan’s flag on one side and the party flag on another – I ask you has Nawaz Sharif ever displayed such patriotism on one side and absolute commitment to the party…”

“Let’s put it this way, Nawaz Sharif addresses the media while descending the stairs in London while The Khan has an office dedicated to addressing the nation and……”

“Hmmm, anyway there is a need for dialogue now and this does not mean that those responsible for willfully destroying public property, be it civilian or military, and be they the organizers, the offenders, the…’

“And let this be a lesson to all: destructive behavior will not be tolerated – be it displayed by any religious party, political party, a professional group or indeed any influential sector resisting any law…”

“Some of our laws – tax laws and others – are not really fair.”

“OK, so seek a legal remedy and each major city must have a dedicated area for peaceful protests.”

“Agreed but going back to what I said earlier dialogue is what we need and will both sides maybe willing to parley there is no sense of reaching any agreement and…”

“OK, so let me put it another way, why not have a match between the two sides?”

“If it’s a cricket match The Khan may yet clean bowl them all.”

“You are right but then he has no batters left all the other side would need is to make one run and that’s it and the probability of one run is not that low is it.”

“If I recall The Khan did on occasion give sixers and fours before being bowled out.”

“Yes but between you and me I hear that the bowlers may not all be from the government.”

“Hmmm, besides I reckon the government is not going to agree to a cricket match because it would give an unfair advantage to The Khan. So I suggest a game of chess….”

“Nah, The Khan doesn’t play chess at all, he doesn’t even know the rules so…”

“What about billiards?”

“They say that negative thinking in a pool player would make an expert play like an amateur and today no one is thinking positive.”

“So what game do you suggest they play?”

“I would suggest a minimum mandatory psychiatric assessment of all the key players…”

“Given the countrywide divisiveness why would you assume that the psychiatric profession is immune from this malaise?”

“My advice is a quote: your present circumstances don’t determine where you go, they merely determine where you start.”

“Sell that to any of the protagonists and I will declare you the greatest facilitator of all times.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023