“There is a need for the Prime Minister to set up a committee….”
“There are so many already, why not task one of the existing ones….”
“That’s not a bad idea – it may save the taxpayer’s tea and biscuit money if that is the committee does not, through consensus, give travelling allowance to the participants.”
“Right but anyway I can’t think of any existing committee that has a term of reference that would allow for a seamless amendment to ….”
“I know the solution, the two hatted Ishaq Dar – the Deputy Prime Minister and the Foreign Minister….”
“Are you trying to minimize his contribution to this government?”
“No I am not but Shehbaz Sharif was clever enough to give him the deputy prime minister portfolio and gave him many, many committees to head – executive committee of the national economic council, cabinet committee on privatization, sugar monitoring committee, cabinet committee to overseas outsourcing airports, on medic al education, monitoring and implementation of conservation and additional austerity measures, special budget making committee…”
“Well Mian sahib senior also gave him just as many committees though he gave him just the one portfolio - finance….”
“You reckon Mian sahib’s decision to give Dar sahib the Deputy Prime Minister’s portfolio was his way to thumb his nose at those who resisted giving him the finance portfolio that Dar sahib really wanted….”
“Indeed and allowed to head quite a few committees that normally are within the purview of the Finance Minister.”
“Right as I said Mian sahib senior’s check mate. Anyway Dar sahib is also the head of the eleven-member committee formed to oversee Khybver Pukhtoonkhwa affairs.”
“I heard his role is limited to occupying the seat at the head of the table.”
“Naqvi sahib is the natural head as the Interior Minister but…”
“No buts, anyway I would urge the de jure head of that committee to get all eleven members together and lay down the narrative for all to follow.”
“Dar sahib’s narrative did not quite gel with Naqvi sahib’s narrative which is not gelling with The Two Tarars and not with..….”
“Stop right there. That may become an issue – once Tarar sahib of the Information Ministry sends his team to take footage of that committee meeting then who will be sitting at the head of the table? Dar sahib is not gonna like….”
“But he can request Naqvi sahib to present the narrative that they must all follow.”
“That needs Dar sahib to first sign on the dotted line.”
“No issues, Naqvi sahib knows how to get signatures – recall the footage of his pointing to the place on the pages where President Zardari sahib had to sign….”
“You are so bad.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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