“Shehbaz Sharif, the Prime Minister, sees the International Monetary Fund deal materializing this month.”

“Fair enough but is his sight, similar to Ahsan Iqbal’s visions, which let me remind you are at least, I mean at the very least, ten years hence and need I add that time period is long enough for a change in administration.”

“Right, especially given that our prime ministers, the heads of government, don’t last the duration of their tenure.”

“Our presidents, military dictators have surpassed their tenures.”

“Indeed I have a question: why do military dictators prefer to install themselves as the president, who as per the constitution has limited, very limited, powers while civilian party leaders, apart from Zardari sahib preferred the prime ministership?”

“Zardari sahib wasn’t eligible for the prime ministership due to the then condition of a bachelor’s degree…but isn’t the President the supreme commander so wearing two hats is kinda more natural.”

“But isn’t a president bound by the prime minister’s advice on who to appoint as chief of army staff!”

“What are you trying to say?”

“That whichever post a military strong man decides to install himself in, there is precious little the civilians will be able to do to dislodge him and so my question stands; why do our military dictators prefer to be the president.”

“Perhaps because they don’t want to engage in the nitty-gritty of matters that do not interest them. I mean who will be the next mayor of Karachi or whether to widen the tax net to include the traders or…”

“Hmmm, but the President’s power to dismiss the national assembly was taken away during Zardari sahib’s tenure as president, so perhaps the next time around, if there is a next time, the preferred position may be…may be…”

“Not the one coveted by party leaders though perhaps a new position of chief executive maybe created, didn’t Musharraf…”

“Yes he did but I guess Chaudhary Pervez Elahi may insist on being declared the chief executive as a condition for his support in future.”

“I can believe that, he has experience of being the country’s only deputy prime minister with zero administrative powers.”

“Anyway when I asked if Shehbaz Sharif’s sight was akin to Ahsan Iqbal’s vision I had an alternative. Want to guess?”

“That’s an easy one: a spiritual guide with no political acumen and…”

“Hush as Shakespeare said in his play let it be with Caesar.”

“Caesar is being isolated and…”

“Let it be with Caesar my friend.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023