“If I give you a choice of retaining your dual nationality or becoming a federal minister what would you opt for?”
“I don’t care - I am neither a dual national nor ever going to be offered a federal ministry.”
“Can’t you possibly imagine…”
“Nope, no imagination either.”
“Oh well, perhaps you can respond to my next question: do you believe in fate?”
“Indeed I do but I have lived most of life in this country, so to ensure I get what I want, with fate I would like to mix a healthy dose of good access to those who have the ear of the power that will decide my fate.”
“Why not direct access to the ear of the power that be?”
“That would be ideal but failing that…”
“Right; OK, another question: do you think the penalty of disqualification and time in jail is enough of a punishment if money is involved.”
“You mean corruption or abuse of power to make money or…”
“Yes – let me give you an example, in the Toshakhana case and I expect cases to be filed against Nawaz Sharif, Zardari sahib and the Gilani of a nature similar to those for which the Man Who Must Not Be Named has been convicted…”
“Hush that could be contempt of court”
“Good heavens that was not my intent - but you know jail time alone is not enough and plea bargain is not enough – the courts must get the money back into the treasury…”
“Our tradition is different – there is The Man Who Must Not Be Named, and that no doubt led to not minimizing but omitting his achievements in cricket…”
“Hey that spreads despondency.”
“Don’t be facetious, I have a question for Zardari sahib though whose man heads the PCB these days: isn’t he against this practice and doesn’t he…”
“With elections due no one is willing to upset the applecart.”
“The applecart is not upset, it remains unperturbed my friend these days, but let me warn you, if it is upset then Plan A may yet become Plan C and Plan F brought forward to Plan A.”
“That’s good right – the changing situation implying a changing Plan.”
“Indeed, but so very disappointing for the previous Plan A players.”
“That’s the way the cookie is crumbling these days.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2023