White Lies

Once he was the late BB’s chief negotiator, and off-and-on choice for PM. Now he is a man no PPP mainstreamer wants to be seen with, lest he lose scoring points in the PPP power game. On Friday, Makhdoom Amin Fahim arrived at Lahore Airport on his way to attend the Urs of a local saint at Sangla Hill. And what a lonely figure he cut. The only people there to greet him were his hosts from Sangla.
Insiders tell us that he did receive a few apologies via mobile with the addendum that he keep their names a closely guarded secret. That because everyone who is anyone wants to keep his job, and perhaps add a share of the PML-N rejected cabinet cake also. Being seen with the Makhdoom of Hala, we hear, will not get you a slice of the new pie. In fact it will guarantee that you land in the waste bin.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
They say that former PM Shaukat Aziz and wife Rukhsana are not totally disconnected from Pakistan. In fact one of their major preoccupations these days is to watch major Pakistani channels. That is if they are not dining out as celebs, socialites, bankers and politicians. They say that SA maintains his cool but Rukhsana is often upset by what the couple claims are false allegations designed to make SA a scapegoat for all that went wrong in the previous government. However, it remains to be seen if the “steely” SA will actually return to give his side of the story.
* * * * * * * * * * * * * * *
Apparently, Khurshid Shah, the Minister for Labour, can vouch that Pakistan is the land of opportunity. Rumours have it that he is a symbol, like Obama, of the working class, making it right to the top. His admirers in the labour unions, especially WAPDA meter readers, claim that he was once one of them. And, that a meter reader can climb right to the top of the fame and fortune ladder, with some labour, imagination and of course that important ingredient - honesty.