“Man oh man! Some people never learn.” “People or institutions?”

“Hey careful there, I mean…”

“It was a legitimate question. We have highly personalized institutions – you change the man at the top and a 380 degree…”

“As I said be careful, but in any case a 380 degree turn in my limited knowledge of geometry brings one back to square one.”

“I was only referring to a recent change – Ata Bandial retired as chief justice on 16 September, and the policy shift is kinda very marked.”

“Ah yes, but that has not translated into the civilian political arena. Party leaders appoint themselves for a lifetime, and they can because of the second tier leadership, which is everyone else…”

“Including the heir-apparent - Notification Maryam Nawaz and Bilawal Bhutto Zardari?”

“I reckon power will continue to reside with their fathers till death do them part.”

“I see, but for the record NMN’s inheritance is not assured while Bilawal’s appears to be secure.”

“I agree, it takes time – I mean even Benazir Bhutto with her degrees and poise and her soft launch into politics by her father as he took her on his foreign tours took what about a decade to establish her inheritance.”

“Someone needs to tell NMN that asset inheritance is easy-peasy, but political inheritance takes time.”

“And I heard so far no one is willing to tell her that – she gets very angry, and she does have a sharp tongue.”

“Right, anyway the three national party leaders, unlike the institutional heads, don’t provide change as they have been at the helm of their parties for decades and refuse to learn any lessons from their own experience leave alone that of their rivals.”

“Right, I am not sure what you are referring to but…”

“I will tell you what I am referring to. Nawaz Sharif’s latest remarks to his Samdhi have raised my hackles. I mean to tell an accountant whose contribution to the ongoing economic impasse is considerable, to formulate a policy of no questions asked from prospective investors is not only violative of the agreement with the International Monetary Fund that his brother brokered but also…”

“Indeed, but one can only hope that the Deliverers insist on a finance minister who is more qualified and less confrontational.”

“Let’s wait and see. So far Nawaz Sharif is Plan A but who knows what will happen by 8 February, the scheduled date of the elections.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023