PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Freedom’ and ‘free-doom’

“The main shortfall during The Khan’s administration was…”

“I know that one: leaving institutions/people as he found them.”

“He left Javed Iqbal as he found him, Chair of the National Accountability Bureau, and need I add this Sharif-Zardari appointee delivered to The Khan much better than any of his own appointees did including The Buzz, oh and by the way all cases of corruption against The Buzz’s brothers have been dropped by Pervez Elahi.”

“I hear The Buzz will join the Elahi camp if The Khan is out of the running, anyway Elahi is reportedly having some differences with The Khan on appointments…”

“I would recommend The Khan to take Elahi’s advice, he knows who can deliver and who won’t on principle and who…”

“Deliver to whom? The Khan or Elahi?”

“Ah yes that is the question.”

“So we are back to what Shakespeare said — who is to be or not to be appointed.”

“Shakespeare didn’t say that!”

“I meant Pakistani Shakespeare…”

“Who?”

“Changes with a change in regime anyway The Khan appointed the Chief Election Commissioner and he is dissatisfied with him too…”

“There you go and remember Pakistan Television was a one man show from August 2018 when The Khan ascended the throne to 9 April 2022 when he descended the throne but on 10 April there was not a single positive report on what The Khan was doing…”

“Descent is a no-no in politics.”

“Indeed when you are in, you may not have too much control but hey you have protocol, you have the ability to make your opponents uncomfortable in prison, you have the capacity to take any opponent off air on a private channel if you so desire…”

“You say freedom and I say free-doom.”

“Don’t be facetious, The Khan gave yet another speech on freedom of the press but do you think if he returns….”

“If he returns let him go, eeeniemeeniemineymoe.”

“Let who go?”

“All those facing cases today to be replaced by those not facing cases proactively today.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022