PARTLY FACETIOUS: In Pakistan one man’s Brutus is another’s Antony

“The fault is not in our stars but in ourselves that we are underlings.” “Yep that’s a much cited quote from Shakespeare’s Julius Caesar but you missed out two words, very important words I reckon.”

“I don’t think so…wait you don’t mean the words dear Brutus after our stars?”

“Yes I do and those words are very, very, critical my friend. Can you guess why?”

“Brutus is long gone as is Cassius, a key conspirator in Julius Caesar’s assassination and the guy who turned Brutus against Caesar.”

“Right they are all gone but as he saw Brutus plunge a knife into him, Caesar said et tu Brutus, his was the unkindest cut of all.”

“I still don’t see the relevance.”

“There are Brutus’s galore within all our political parties.”

“Stop right there: in Pakistan one man’s Brutus is another’s Antony.”

“That’s the most unique description of a turncoat (lota) I ever heard.”

“There you go, and can you guess who is Cassius?

“Is it an individual or a…a…”

“No I am not referring to a state owned entity that is on sale…you know for the life of me I can’t understand how anyone can think that any SOE can be sold given the current state of our economy and our low international ratings…”

“There are some very astute business people - Pakistanis and/or their children…”

“Hush the correct words are Pakistani descent.”

“Right and they are very wealthy and may be interested in purchasing these…these SOEs.”

“In the supreme national interest?”

“What else!”

“Anyway when I said Cassius I was referring to an institution.”

“Shut the hell up. I am not, I repeat not, willing to have this conversation.”

“The institution of the media – referred to as the fourth estate in the West that in Pakistan has been downgraded to the tenth estate…”

“If it is defined as an estate at all.”

“Correct and I am including the social media activists who are flooding the internet with news – be it like Raisani’s BA degree – fake or true…”

“Hmmm, so the downgrade is for spreading disillusionment and a sense of deprivation, anger…”

“Hey I paid my electricity bill and don’t have any money for school fees and…”

“If you don’t stop taking this Cassius approach then I will have to take serious action and…”

“I stopped.”

“That didn’t take long!”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023