"It's the year of the dog."

"Oye! Stop that right now! You know in Muslim countries dog is not quite an animal that..."

"I was referring to the Chinese zodiac, and we all love the Chinese, we could be Nawalas, or Zardis or indeed Khanzadehs but we all love the Chinese."

"That's true, China is the only country that has supported us through thick and thin."

"Thick being our on again off again love affair with America?"

"Don't be facetious; anyway for your information, it isn't the year of the dog, that was 2018, this is the year of the pig as far as Chinese zodiac signs are concerned, an animal which is even less kosher than a dog in Muslim countries."

"Now who is being facetious; but anyway as you know we are at least a year late in everything, so there!"

"Now who is being facetious!?"

"OK, but when I said it is the year of the dog there was a reason. Karachi is being overrun by stray dogs and with no vaccine in hospitals there are people dying there..."

"Yep that's the same with snake bites and..."

"And the irony is that while we have vaccine for polio many people are refusing to give it to their children because hear this! The propaganda of the naysayers with no access to the media is much more cogent than the yea-sayers."

"That's true, but going back to the year of the dog even the Constitution Avenue in Islamabad has many stray dogs and apparently someone in the South African embassy reckons that it would be animal cruelty to put the dogs down..."

"Isn't that interference in our internal matters?"

"Yes, but my question is why don't they invest in dog pounds like in the rest of the world, including their own country - that is good for the dogs and the residents...hey, what is The Khan doing about this problem? Does he even know?"

"Well, he has this portal where citizens can contact him for redressal of their grievances and apparently the portal has been flooded with requests to deal with the rising number of strays and..."

"And?"

"And The Khan has ordered action be taken against those in-charge of the portal and who are not dealing with grievances of the people."

"He should set up a committee headed by Container Shah!"

"Not going to make a difference - dogs have a way of going around a container."

"Oh well, then let a task force be set up under Ishrat Husain..."

"That would take another year to present its findings."

"Indeed."