“So any lessons learned?” “As a race we Pakistanis are not given to learning any lessons from our mistakes or successes.”

“That’s certainly true, I mean how many times have we appointed the same individual for a position with the same disastrous results.”

“Yes take the Ministry of Finance - Hafeez Sheikh two times, fired both times but too late, Ishaq Dar four times though the first two times was less than a year and without doubt his policies account for the current state of the economy, Miftah Ismail twice though both times he was replaced with Nawaz Sharif’s man…”

“You haven’t mentioned Shaukat Tarin who…”

“Tarin insisted on the third party audit on rental power projects which, granted, led to various legal complications but my point is he alone set the stage for accountability and transparency of executive decisions in the country – I mean I would even place his contribution above The Khan because none of The Khan’s attempts came to fruition…”

“Hmmm, anyway the lessons learned that I was referring to were associated with the Toshakhana…”

“There is a need to change the laws.”

“Don’t think that’s on the cards for obvious reasons, what may work is to humbly request foreign heads of governments not to give any gifts.”

“I have an idea: how about requesting the donors to subtract the intended cost of the gift from the oil/LNG imports from that country…”

“Or how about sale of these gifts and…and…wait…depositing the proceeds to the Treasury?”

“Ain’t gonna happen but anyway that was not what I meant when I asked if any lessons were learned. I wanted to know whether the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf has learned anything from…”

“Fawad Chaudhary, Shirin Mazari and Zulfi Bukhari held a press conference defending.…”

“I actually have respect for the first two – the two, during The Khan administration, reportedly advised against the sale of the gifts as well as the decision to adjust the return of 190 million pounds by the UK National Crime Agency from the British account of a Pakistani real estate tycoon, in the money he owed as a consequence of the court’s decision domestically…”

“But?”

“The but is that the two came out in defense of a transaction whose details they are probably not aware of, reminiscent of the defenders of Nawaz Sharif and Zardari sahib with or without portfolios.”

“You reckon Zulfi Bukhari…”

“I don’t know ZB but I read somewhere that he does receive spiritual guidance and that’s an area I don’t wish to explore.”

“ZB as in Zulfikar Bhutto the grandson of ZA…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022