“I don’t understand why the budget controversy.”
“Why not? Muhammad Aurengzeb failed to get anybody on board and the result….”
“The International Monetary Fund was on board – they approved the budget.”
“Well you need to get some domestic players on board as well.”
“Aurengzeb sahib did, I have it on good authority that he raised the salaries of the 7 percent of the country’s total work force, at the taxpayers’ expense, as well as pensions of the 7 percent of the work force….”
“And that is why I keep telling you forget the private sector and go for a government job.”
“As a journalist…..”
“I heard for each private journalist there are now ten employed by the government at a much better salary…”
“Hmmm so now what? The federal government reportedly wants to freeze the divisible pool to this year’s level and any additional taxes collected not to be part of the divisible pool..….”
“That is violative of the constitution right?”
“Who are you to decide that! The constitutional court will decide the matter.”
“Oh! How long will that take!? I mean will it be as long as cases against some in jail…”
“Hush, as long as it takes my friend.”
“But how about reducing the expenditure, I mean….”
“No can do, the salaries must be raised and this is approved by the Fund, but don’t worry the development expenditure can and will be slashed and…”
“That happens every year. All administrations show a high development outlay in the budget speech claiming that they are above all previous administrations and then slash it mercilessly during the year…”
“One exception: when Elder Brother was not resident in Raiwind.”
“Well he spent an inordinately long time in the London flats and…”
“You know what I mean.”
“Yes I guess so why are the Noons dithering – they have a majority after all the bye elections and the tribunal decisions and the….”
“A majority of one – they have 170 seats at present and it is better to deal with the PPP rather than their major coalition partner with PhDs in….”
“Learn to respect the educated.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
Comments