"The Chief of Army Staff's decision not to seek an extension has been hailed by all and need I add that this would lay to rest all speculation ..."
"In your dreams!"
"I am sorry, but General Raheel Sharif quite emphatically stated that he will not seek another term and need I add the guy says it like it is...I mean he is no Kayani or Musharraf who said one thing, did another and claimed yet another."
"I don't understand what you are talking about!"
"Didn't Musharraf claim he was not a dictator and yet he suspended the constitution twice and now claims that he didn't take the decision unilaterally but his factotum Shaukat Aziz advised him to do so...Kayani on the other hand kept saying that he didn't want an extension and then got it and accepted it and now is mercifully quiet, unlike his much more arrogant predecessor Musharraf and..."
"The quietness got him an invite during the Pakistan Republic Day parade last year after a gap of seven years which included the tenures of M and K..."
"Yeah, I did hear Musharraf say that he wasn't invited...."
"There you go but anyway when I said in your dreams I meant that speculation will not rest till Raheel Sharif is retired and maybe not even then..."
"I don't get it."
"We are a nation of conspiracy theorists and if we were to re-name the country we would perhaps be better advised to amend it from Islamic Republic of Pakistan to Islamic Republic of Pakistan (CT)."
"Hey, the Deputy Prime Minister may actually like that - and say the CT stands for Collection of Taxes which have increased during his able leadership and all because of two tax amnesty schemes that he got the PM to announce...."
"Oh you are being facetious. Anyway Zardari sahib has appreciated the statement by General Raheel Sharif."
"Zardari sahib is doing the exact opposite: by actually keeping all party positions that are becoming vacant - the office held by the late Amin Faheem is also now with Zardari sahib and...:"
"Ah, but Zardari sahib is here to stay, just like he said, while the General will retire."
"Till death do us part."
"What?"
"Zardari sahib used the word always (hamesha) but death is the great partner..."
"Don't make up such silly words, I would like to ask Zardari sahib if the people, you know those who vote, don't they come into the equation? In a democracy always is not quite the right word to use..."
"Oh for Pete's sake, you can't dissect the words of a politician - it's a waste of time."