“Discuss merit and not…not…”

“Demerit?”

“Is that the opposite of merit? Merit is defined as value, distinction, and demerit is a shortcoming.”

“Don’t get too technical – merit is the antonym of demerit. Take an example from the Land of the Pure merit equals influence plus personal relations plus…”

“Getting the job.”

“I was going to say getting the job done.”

“I don’t understand what job?”

“To have your cake and eat it too – ensure reserved seats for your children in Aitchison College without paying for the privilege of reserving the seats.”

“This shitty capitalist system…”

“Elite schools are present in the West and in socialist countries and in China. Besides Ahad Cheema has the option of putting his child in a non-elite school where there are no reserved seats because another chair under the apple tree will not…”

“Do you know the Aitchison equivalent in Islamabad because that’s where Cheema’s children are at today.”

“You forget we are talking about the Land of the Pure. So getting a job comes with an enhanced capacity to take only merit based decisions, only, barring none…”

“And demerit is what – getting a few decisions declared as null and void. By that logic the Prime Minister’s retraction of some recent notifications…”

“Stop right there, notifications in our land are about directives from a source external to the one who issues the notification and as an example I refer you to the notification of a party position for Maryam Nawaz, notification for chair of committees of cabinet…”

“Reminds me of the words of an old Kenny Rogers song titled The Gambler. With respect to the cards in your hand the gambler advises: You’ve got to know when to hold ‘em, Know when to fold ‘em, Know when to walk away, And know when to run, You never count your money When you’re sittin’ at the table There’ll be time enough for countin’ When the dealin’s done.”

“I don’t get it.”

“Ahad Cheema should understand that he should stop talking of merit, not count the money in the words of the song, as the dealings not done yet, because he is embarrassing the man who has notified his position…”

“But you said notification is about external directives and in this case…”

“Not yet firmed up so the dealings not done.”

“Right!”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024