“One former prime minister has criticised the slow speed of the eighty plus Shehbaz Sharif-led Cabinet and…”

“A Zardi?”

“Nope, all those loyal to Zardari sahib are focused on a non-level playing field and as proof cite the presence of many long term PML-N loyalists in the caretaker set up. Why are you laughing?”

“One out of three is not a good outcome is it?”

“Well it depends on what you are referring to. One out of three claiming that the current caretakers have some…some…”

“No that is not what I was referring to. There are three national parties and two out of the three are clamouring for a level playing field…”

“Indeed I get it, anyway the former prime minister who has laid the blame on the previous prime minister and not…”

“And not on the Man Without a Portfolio for 16 months.”

“Don’t be facetious – he had publicly stated his undying fealty to Notification Maryam Nawaz and there had to be a reward for that.”

“And what more did he need to do to get a portfolio?”

“Well to me his failure to secure a portfolio means that his eyes were on his long term prospect is in a federal cabinet not short-term.”

“Long-term may be a lot longer than his life span because NMN may have all the notifications but little support.”

“Time will tell as Allah is my witness.”

“Right anyway Shahid Khaqan Abbasi was the former prime minister who criticised Shehbaz Sharif-led eleven-party coalition government.”

“Well does SKA know that…”

“It’s not SKA but KSA, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia.”

“Stop right there – my question to Shahid Khaqan Abbasi is: could Shehbaz Sharif as the Prime Minister have the power to fire Ishaq Dar who as the finance minister not only lost support from the International Monetary Fund and from friendly countries with the threat of default looming large on the horizon but cost at least 4 billion dollars in lost remittance inflows due to his inane economic policies and…”

“I guess not.”

“Shehbaz Sharif was forced to step in and directly deal with the IMF not by elder brother who still thinks Dar did a wonderful job and…”

“OK so the conclusion is that SKA would rather not blame the Father, Daughter and the Holy Ghost but Shehbaz Sharif and…”

“Hey SKA lost his seat in the last elections and the Father, Daughter and the Holy Ghost got him a seat from Lahore I believe and…”

“Indeed.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023