"I don't understand taxes too well..."
"Understandable as your tax is cut at source, but I can feel a bit coming right?"
"Right, but with respect to the tax amnesty scheme a la Khan...."
"He is not the architect of the scheme - that honour belongs to someone else."
"Someone in the private sector or working for the government?"
"Previously private lately, very lately, government."
"And the name?"
"I can't give you the name because I know he will deny it."
"At least we know it's a male though I am not sure how much that narrows down the field."
"Depends on how closely you watch government appointments. Anyway my understanding of the scheme is that any Pakistani national can declare his assets abroad, cash as well as real estate, and submit a wealth statement if required which implies if the amount of wealth justifies it, and pay a tax accordingly."
"And file a return if it has not been filed."
"Yes, but here is my point. We know that the Prime Minister's Adviser on Finance Hafeez Sheikh..."
"Has always worked abroad other than when he is given a federal portfolio."
"Right, and being a federal minister means that he has Pakistani passport and therefore must follow Pakistani laws..."
"Or at least those he defends during a press conference."
"Yes at least that!"
"So is he going to declare his cash and other assets under the amnesty scheme?"
"Nope, and that is because he is not eligible for the scheme; advisers to the prime minister are ineligible. The scheme also bars anyone who has held any public office since 2000 and the guy has held portfolio's thrice - one under Musharraf, once under Zardari sahib and again now."
"Reminds me of Shakespeare's play Julius Caesar, remember when Mark Antony is giving an eulogy to Caesar after his assassination, a bad move on the part of the conspirators need I add, he says: 'You all did see that on the Lupercal, I thrice presented him a kingly crown, Which he did thrice refuse: was this ambition?"
"So you reckon Hafeez Sheikh will refuse to file his returns this third time as well."
"I think as a non-resident Pakistani he is not eligible to file returns but who knows about The Khan, he may insist on changing that rule too..."
"Perhaps but Hafeez Sheikh has to stay in the country for I am not sure, more than three months or is it four months at a stretch to no longer qualify for not filing his returns..."
"And he will make sure he doesn't break that rule my friend and the trip to Dubai and back may well be paid for from the taxpayers' pocket."