“I don’t recall ever reading about any ambassador stationed in Islamabad visiting the Chief Election Commissioner (CEC).”

“I guess they are just curious.”

“Curiosity did kill the cat.”

“Hmmm, but wouldn’t you want to visit someone who The Man Who Must Remain Nameless treated like an apple.”

“An apple?”

“An apple a day keeps the doctor away right. And The Man Who Must Remain Nameless hurled insults and accusations against the CEC daily, if I recall.”

“Well there were a tad more in number, I mean at one point they rivalled references to disloyal and neutral commanders…”

“That’s cause an apple is more filling than one measly insult if you know what I mean.”

“Yes I do but there have been only two ambassadors who trekked down to the CEC office – the US and the UK.”

“I know why. The Man Who Must Remain Nameless is well known in the UK due to his cricketing career while the US officialdom knows him well by now, perhaps not as well as they know David Wu but…”

“Don’t be facetious, besides it’s not Wu but Lu.”

“Ooops I do apologize profusely.”

“It was a legitimate mistake.”

“Maybe but not acceptable – had I messed up the first name, an Anglo Saxon name, I would not have apologised but the last name is Chinese and I don’t want to upset the Chinese.”

“Ah I didn’t expect that from you.”

“Didn’t expect what?”

“Looking at all possible angles of what you say.”

“I have learned from a great leader.”

“Let’s hope all our great leaders learn from their past.”

“I am glad you did use the word past instead of mistakes because not a single one of our great leader admits to any mistakes in the past.”

“And that defines a Pakistani great leader.”

“There you go.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023