“Hmmm.”

“That sounds ominous.”

“The airwaves are full of comments about the end of project The Man Who Must Remain Nameless, and I ask you how many times was Nawaz Sharif’s political career resurrected and Zardari sahib’s who has not been in the game for as long - since late 2007 when Benazir Bhutto was assassinated…”

“Right, but you are comparing apples and….and carrots - confusing the intent of the present with a situation in future that may or may not conform with the current intent, if you know what I mean.”

“As it never has in the past. But I wasn’t thinking of The Man Who Must Remain Nameless, I was actually thinking of the second major obsession prevalent on our airwaves, notably why Zardari sahib wanted to occupy the President’s House when he has a perfectly good and luxurious house in Islamabad!”

“You are comparing apples with….with cheese, a dairy product. I mean the views from the Presidency are incomparable, and the luxury is another matter, besides I am not sure how many work at the Presidency, but the numbers cannot match those in a private house.”

“I heard that last time Zardari sahib occupied the Presidency he lured the security staff to work for him at a higher salary and in the supreme national interest if he can hire at leats 300 to 400 people from the Presidency it may save the taxpayers money and…”

“Zardari sahib has a tendency to adjust the faithful in a provincial government or a state owned entity or….”

“No, the economy won’t be able to bear that at present. Anyway, the airwaves are talking of Zardari sahib looking into the future with his crystal ball and seeing the incumbent Shahbaz Sharif led government falling out of favour and reverting back to The Man Who Must Remain Nameless…”

“Crystal ball! Really! I mean, in common with The Man Who Must Remain Nameless, Zardari sahib has a murshad (spiritual guide)…”

“Apples and bell peppers my friend, Zardari sahib’s murshad is not his spouse, the dynamics are too different.”

“Right anyway Shehbaz Sharif does not have it in him to antagonize anyone leave alone the establishment…”

“Yes, but if he continues to follow his brother’s dictates and his niece’s actions which are tantamount to heating the revenge dish so much that it has charred…”

“Yep, she is one for overkill…anyway, I reckon Zardari sahib wanted to remain relevant and in the news. I mean, Nawaz Sharif is no longer first news item or second, we see him on occasion…”

“That is certainly true.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024