Anjum Ibrahim

Money laundering criminal assault

“I do feel for the First Son.”

“Right, a five-hour interrogation, I mean for Pete’s sake it’s not a criminal case is it!”

“Money laundering is a criminal offence in Pakistan now that parliament recently passed a law that says so.”

“Says so?”

“Well, there is a difference between enacting a law and then implementing it and then there is also a difference between the accused – I mean if you apply it against say Ayyan Ali or a member, a close member, of the Prime Minister’s family…by the way one question: Ishaq Dar had the Affidavit quashed in a court in 2010 on the grounds that he was tortured so now can he have his cake and eat it too?”

“I don’t get you.”

“Can he be punished if it is proved that he laundered money for the First Family or can he invoke the Approver status?”

“You are enjoying this aren’t you but anyway the First Son was fasting and… and was there an air conditioner in the room where he was being interrogated? And was there load shedding during the interrogation?”

“I am not sure, Hussain Nawaz didn’t mention it, but at least two of the questioners were hostile to say the least…”

“You know when I am fasting many things that happen during the day appear to be hostile if you know what I mean and when my sugar level is down then they seem downright disgusting, repellent, full of animus…”

“Wow, that bad hunh. But that’s not what I meant when I said I felt for the First Son.”

“If you are referring to this being the first time in his life when his answers are not taken as the truth and require documentary proof then…”

“Nope, not that either. I feel sorry for him because he is very unfit. He needs to be put on a strict regimen…”

“The First Family has not, I repeat has not, inherited the grandfather’s good habits - eating right and exercising…that part was inherited by the Junior Sharif – Shahbaz Sharif and his sons – Hamza and Salman and he hasn’t brought his daughters to the political arena yet so I am not sure about their level of fitness…”

“I call that sensible! If I was given a choice between wealth and fitness I would opt for inheriting wealth …”

“They do say health is wealth.”

“And wealth can buy the best medical help so there!”

“I give up.”