PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Benazir inherited her dad’s political fortune after quite a while…’

“Islam says start from within.”

“Start what?”

“Well charity must begin from the home.”

“Right that is not unique to Islam – that phrase may not be in the Bible, but the spirit of the phrase is in 1 Timothy 5:8 which maintains that failing to provide for one’s own household is akin to denying the faith.”

“Right so are you going to narrow it down.”

“Narrow down as in who qualifies as a member of the household? I would imagine in our culture aunts, uncles, cousins and perhaps even those who work for us and…”

“OK, but I was more focused on the nature of the inheritance?”

“Well this is subject to not acquiring any assets through unlawful means. I mean if a grandfather made money illegally then that money must be given back to the family from where the money was stolen even if the grandfather is long gone and…”

“You can’t resist, can you! But anyway, that’s not what I was asking. My question: does it only include physical assets?”

“Stop harping on the same-o, same-o. Inheritance covers all aspects of an individual’s assets, even political fortunes though those fortunes do not automatically devolve on an heir, Benazir Bhutto inherited her dad’s political fortune after quite a while…”

“Zardari sahib didn’t take much time at all – so are a husband’s right to inherit greater than a daughter’s?”

“No it depends on the personality and circumstances, political inheritance is only up to 70 percent assured – the rest is up to the inheritor.”

“OK so former Prince Andrew…”

“Entitlement can end you know.”

“OK so Punjab Chief Minister has purchased a luxury aircraft for her use, I mean asking The Uncle every time she wanted to go abroad undermined her inheritance rights and…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

“I reckon Uncle Ishaq Dar needs to be taken to task – if President Trump can be gifted a plane why can’t the scion of the Sharif household.”

“She has to learn some lessons – her dad is so good to all his samdhis (father of those who his children married).”

“I don’t get you.”

“Her son’s ex-father in law, a long time Sharif loyalist and working for the Qatari royal family, is no longer on speaking terms with her after the divorce and…”

“Gotcha.”

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