ANJUM IBRAHIM

Saifur Rahman’s re-emergence

“A leopard does not change its spots.”

“But a tiger certainly can change its stripes.”

“OK that was checkmate for me…”

“Explain why you referred to the leopard proverb?”

“I saw Saifur Rahman re-emerge openly, not overtly as during the Qatar gas deal, but openly during Mian sahib’s overnight stay in Sindh Governor’s House, the first during his current tenure…”

“Hmmm, so you are going to talk of conflict of interest I presume? From where I am sitting there is no conflict of interest – if the party leader desires to ostracize one of his trusted aides that he helped raise from rags to riches then he reserves the right to re-elevate him to an important position. ”

“Hmmm, two things – first, there is no reverse osmosis – so rags to riches is OK, but riches to rags not doable and to prove that we need to refer to Mian sahib’s Economic Reform Act of 1992 which allowed remitting as much foreign exchange abroad as you had in your account…”

“Hmmm, but that was not the way of party leaders who didn’t want their voters to know the extent of their wealth going abroad, only the rich industrialists and farmers and traders used that method and hence the Surreygate and the Panamagate and Ayyangate and…”

“Right anyway, second to correct you Mian sahib says he doesn’t think like a ruler, he is humble and…”

“Agreed, he humbly lives in palatial houses and when elected the ruler he humbly uses state funds to travel abroad with his family and he is so humble that he buys suits from Saville Row and…”

“That doesn’t mean he is not humble you silly! Humble is when you don’t boast and don’t…”

“OK, so what about boasting about achievements that no one else can see on the ground except AID and Mian sahib?”

“Hey, as long as Dar sahib doesn’t turn Approver in terms of approving the analysis of independent economists that he is lying about his achievements…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

“Anyway, as far as Mian sahib is concerned that is being misled not deliberately lying. Anyway don’t distract me - you and I both know that Mian sahib has not changed his stripes since he came into politics more than three decades ago? He is a rich man - his dad and sons are very financially savvy and so the increase in wealth, he doesn’t like local hospitals and he doesn’t like local stitching with respect to Western suits, and he is not a loner – he wants people around him – OK not as equals but he does….”

“So the leopard is the Khan.”

“Indeed, the go it alone leader and The Khan must surely know by now that Panama may dent the PML-N numbers elected to parliament in 2018 but he would still get many seats, just like Swiss accounts and other scams dented Zardari sahib’s seats in parliament in 2013 elections but Zardari sahib still got Sindh.”

“So?”

“So even if PTI doubles the number of seats in 2018 yet Mian sahib and Zardari sahib and don’t forget the Maulana may join forces again to form a government.”

“Hmmm, and so Ehtesabur Rahman’s re-emergence is what? Checkmate Zardari sahib and son?”

“Carrot and stick.”