PARTLY FACETIOUS: Something about the Dark Ages

“We are living in the dark ages.”

“Just because you don’t have gas for cooking and heating doesn’t mean you are living in the dark ages.”

“I wasn’t referring to gas shortages – I mean that’s an issue of demand and supply right and when supply is in the competent hands of…who is heading the ministry these days?”

“Don’t be facetious – Hammad Azhar is a hell of lot more competent than Omar Ayub and Nadeem Babar and Tabish Gauhar and…”

“Yes, but he delayed the tendering just like those previous stalwarts.”

“It’s because of that dratted National Accountability Bureau – you know I find Chairman Javed Iqbal’s mane unchanged, and in this era of change I find that inappropriate.”

“Mane?”

“The ratio of white hair to black remains unchanged – that couldn’t be by design could it?”

“Now I understand why The Khan wants to keep him on – I mean he is a trend setter - our politicians want it all black or leave it be but this guy has maintained it at the same ratio…”

“In that case they are just watching not following his example if you know what I mean…and…and change has come about even in The Khan’s biggest detractors, the PML-N, I mean the inauguration of the Karachi mass transit…”

“Ha, ha, and Friday is to be The Khan’s inauguration and you know what is funny?”

“That The Khan was so contemptuous of cutting ribbons by Nawaz Sharif?”

“Well, that reflects he changed and I am all for change…no I meant the buses have yet to arrive and they are expecting 40 buses – a number which does not qualify as mass transit for 15 million Karachiites…”

“Hey look at the ground realities: Karachiites have been transporting themselves all this time and so these 40 buses when they arrive will be an addition and that’s the change.”

“Hmmmm, but is that what you meant when you said we are living in the dark ages.”

“No, in the capital of this country the traffic lights have been switched off even on roads leading to and from the Constitution Avenue and horrific traffic jams every time…”

“Well, our Sheikha…”

“It’s Sheikh Rashid to you.”

“Sorry, my key board is on the blink, anyway I guess he is too busy bad mouthing the opposition to note the state of traffic in this city…”

“Yeah, its one work completed at a time and since the dratted Opposition…”

“If only The Khan begins to use the road rather than the helicopter.”

“It’s all in the interest of saving…”

“Right.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021