“The airwaves are full of speculation on the timing of Nawaz Sharif’s publicly delivered vitriol against The Man Who Must Remain Nameless and Faceless and those who enabled him to become the country’s prime minister.”
“OK so two things — first, the two known enablers are retired and do you know what you call a person who is happy on a Monday? Retired.”
“But…”
“The trouble with retirement is you don’t get a day off.”
“Well, Nawaz Sharif cannot relate to that! Politicians have no sell-by date, their shelf life is till death do them part. Besides his one counterpart and contemporary Zardari sahib is not retired, and the other one is right now in jail, but in the event of a change in the status quo he can become very relevant.”
“There ain’t gonna be a change in his status quo, I reckon.”
“The intent is that, but you have heard Robert Burn’s much quoted line — the best laid plans of mice and men go awry.”
“The Western sayings cannot be applied to the Sub-continent politicians…”
“Don’t be facetious. And a reminder to you is that Mian sahib had plans to become the prime minister for the fourth time and the offer or shall I say the invite was withdrawn unceremoniously.”
“That brings me to my second observation. I was wondering what if Nawaz Sharif does manage to become the prime minister.”
“That would take some power of persuasion that he has not yet displayed…”
“I am taking what if. What if he does manage to become the prime minister, then what will happen to his brother, the current prime minister?”
“I am not sure – if I recall he was at one time ready to serve as the Power Minister under him, but Nawaz Sharif wanted him to head Punjab now I think that position is no longer open to Shehbaz Sharif.”
“Agreed so he gets the Power Ministry you think?”
“No because there is a deputy prime minister who is higher than any federal minister?”
“But you know Dar would not like to give up…”
“Yes, I know, but my suggestion is a win-win. How about two deputy prime ministers…”
“Shehbaz Sharif may consider that a downgrade, given that at present technically he is a grade above Dar.”
“Oh, so how about following the US professorial ranking: Shehbaz Sharif can be conferred the title of a distinguished senior minister of the Kulsoom Nawaz…”
“Make that Muhammad Sharif, and you may have made a sale.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2025