“I have a question but don’t get mad at me.”
“I have told you once, I have told you a million times do not, I repeat do not, challenge ground realities – they are what they are and have been and will be and…”
“I am not challenging ground realities just the definition of redundant, read: no longer a ground reality, so…”
“Be careful.”
“Don’t worry I have wised up. Anyway my query: who is the fourth estate?”
“The media…”
“Agreed but is it mainstream media or social media. Western media where incidentally there is freedom of speech, is focused on the security guarantees for Ukraine, and they mean European troops or European bought from the US missiles to be placed on Ukrainian soil, but that’s a no-no for Russia…”
“That’s a good point – so you reckon the fourth estate is social media much more savvy than the mainstream media. The mainstream media, electronic and print, has been steadily losing clients and I reckon the under 40s go to the social media instead of mainstream media.”
“Agreed so if the fourth estate definition has changed what about the first estate? Is it still the cabinet or the executive?”
“Oh I guess you want to go with deep state is now the first estate unless someone is powerful enough to challenge the deep state. I don’t see that in any Western country.”
“The second estate then is what the legislature, what’s up with that!”
“Well unlike here in Pakistan none of the European leaders, in spite of coalitions, have the seats in parliament to amend the constitution.”
“But they have the power to direct the agencies they control to initiate legal action against those who are winning popularity contests – France has convicted Marine Le Pen, the German government is trying to ban the AFD and…”
“Right so that brings me to the third pillar.”
“The military…”
“You are a prisoner of your upbringing but anyway No the third pillar is the judiciary, I think.”
“I had heard of lawyers seeking more time to argue but I heard the judiciary also requested more time to study a bail case…”
“I think the registrar’s performance needs to be downgraded – I mean why did he not consult…”
“As one American song put it – blame it on the boogie.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025