ANJUM IBRAHIM

The old king is dead long ago?

“One wheel of the two-wheeler economic team was constantly getting punctured and I guess the Prime Minister had had enough of sorting out the puncture, especially as he fought the Covid-19, and he finally decided to replace with a new wheel.”

“I am not sure Hammad Azahar is all that new – I mean…”

“What you need to say is the old king is dead long live…”

“Our ministers of finance have held the status of deputy prime minister on occasion, but never prime minister so the expression is the prince is dead, long live the prince.”

“Right, so what about the other wheel? I mean normally if you change one wheel you should change all the wheels…”

“Well, The Khan has directed the other wheel to make the borrowing cost for house loans even cheaper…so much for autonomy hunh! I told you it doesn’t matter what it says on paper the facts on the ground will remain the same….”

“Parveen Rashid said that The Khan is changing ministers just so that he can hide behind his own incompetence…”

“Two things my friend – one the same o same o…”

“I can’t buy a new keyboard because of the lockdown – I promise the first thing I do after the lockdown is lifted is buy a new keyboard.”

“Ok, so the second thing is what does he say about his own dismissal by his beloved Nawaz Sharif and the then First Daughter?”

“Forgive them for they knew not what they did.”

“Very biblical, but as the Irish proverb states the best way to keep loyalty in a man’s heart is to keep money in his purse…wait let me finish, yes he is an honest man and I always thought he was middle income earner but he came with a cheque book to clear 96 lakh rupees he owed to Punjab House to become eligible for the Senate seat at one go…”

“There is another more traditional proverb which is masters who sacrifice for servants will receive the gift of loyalty.”

“See that doesn’t apply to Pakistan in general and our second tier leadership in particular…”

“Second tier defined as all but the member(s) of the ruling head of the party?”

“Yes, the proverb that applies is servants who sacrifice for their masters will receive the gift of loyalty.”

“Hmmmmm.”