“So who do you reckon is the heir?” “Bilawal Bhutto Zardari is the heir…” “There is much talk of Asefa Bhutto Zardari’s better grasp on politics.”

“… but we are agreed that a Bhutto Zardari would be the heir related by blood to the founding father of the party Z A Bhutto and his daughter…”

“Yeah and I can say for a fact that the Maulana will pass on the mantle to his son. But what about the two major national parties of Punjab who are likely to determine who occupies in the Prime Minister House?”

“The two Lahoris have a history of not listening to reasonable advice.”

“What do you mean? Isn’t a prime minister a step above that of all other heads of…hey what amuses you this time around?”

“The two Lahoris listen to reasonable and unreasonable advice in the early days of their occupation of the prime minister’s house but give them a few years and they reckon the balance of power has shifted in their favour.”

“That’s certainly true but as a prime minister, it is the sycophants around you who 24/7 sing your praises and state that you are the most powerful individual in the land and…”

“Hmmm, so you need to be anchored – and the two men have anchors who do more damage than engage in reparation work that is urgently required.”

“I agree Nawaz Sharif has Notification Maryam Nawaz, yes she can attract crowds but those crowds never led to a win for her party and this is during the tenure of the Man Who Must Not Be Named when he had hit the rock bottom in popularity.”

“Right but she remains the heir apparent as long as daddy is in the picture and who is the anchor for The Man Who Must Not Be named?”

“The Third Wife.”

“So in case he is no longer a factor in our politics I reckon all the five Maneka kids may have to do a Zardari – you know use the hyphenated Khan-Maneka in their last name.”

“Don’t be facetious.”

“Why not? I ask you! Our politics is not about serious issues but about heirs as the old hands are in their mid-70s or so.”

“That makes sense.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023