“Once bitten twice shy…”

“Hmm, as far as our politicians are concerned, it’s once bitten twice bold – I mean there was the Daska vote rigging and now videos of N League allegedly buying votes for Rs 2,000 per person…”

“Ah, but there is a difference – the Daska vote rigging was through government machinery and need I add, The Khan talks about everything under the sun but nothing on Daska yet because…wait let me finish, because it is an established prerogative of the administration and it only got caught because it was done rather incompetently see The Buzz is still under training…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

“OK, my point is that it goes to The Khan’s credit that the rate of one vote is Rs 2,000 only, all ye of little faith complaining about inflation and how people can’t make ends meet, and you tell me that they are willing to sell their vote for only Rs 2000 – I mean…”

“Could it be the success of the Ehsaas programme? I mean The Khan is giving money away…and before you start your criticism of the Auditor General’s report of misappropriation of billions of rupees in the Covid 19 programme I have only two things to say: off with the head of the Auditor General and the IMF on whose instructions this report was made public is working for Western capitals who want The Khan out because The Khan said absolutely not…”

“Ha ha, I guess you are gunning for the job of Gill the Fish though to be honest his style is so…so… so not The Khan — more The Buzz style…”

“Anyway, when I said once bitten twice shy I was referring to the Cabinet approval of accepting a loan of 3 billion dollars at 4 percent from Saudi Arabia for one year as well as deferred oil facility though I am not sure if the same rate applies…”

“Hey Tarin doesn’t want to deal with National Accountability Bureau again – I mean the first time he was done in by NAB though he was the one who ordered third party audit which led to Raja Rental, the then Power Minister…”

“It led to Raja Rental’s promotion to Prime Minister.”

“Welcome to Pakistani politics, but anyway Tarin ain’t gonna go to Dubai like Hafeez Shaikh so he wanted Cabinet approval – once bitten twice shy…”

“Right.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021