Prime Minister, next!

By Shahid Rizvi

Men may come and men may go caretakers go on forever. We have made history-more caretakers than elected governments. We have made another point in history. There are two types of democracies in the world – democracy with the President as the Chief Executive and democracy with the Prime Minister as the Chief Executive. Though, now we have created a third form — democracy with caretakers + president. It is a mockery of every other form of democracy.

Don’t be surprised at the job of caretakers.  Their first job is to take care of the President.  Then they have to do some other jobs also. Their duties as announced by the president and themselves are to hold elections within three months and leave the palace. However,  under personal freedoms, they have every right to try not to leave the palace. What else meaning does the propaganda about the simplicity, sagacity, honesty, clean hands, walking on foot to school in the village, and many other angelic qualities of the caretaker prime minister?

Caretakers have no mandate but every mandate.  They can start accountability over and above the heads of the people. They can enter into agreements with the IMF and World Bank without taking into confidence the major political parties. We have all types of legendary figures with us.  we have a Nizam saqa who issued leather coins all the was made King for one day only.

I, however, congratulate Mr. Meraj Khalid for his daring announcement that he has failed to find anything against Benazir. Also, Benazir’s IMF policy was correct, though forced by the circumstances he had to make certain decisions. Yet, his courage should be appreciated. It is something different that we might have been reprimanded by President on issuing such an statement which the president himself rush to contract. Prime Minister Meraj Khalid also said the other day that he did not mean what was being understood we would have believed him if we did not have a tradition of contradicting our own statements the next day.

I expect to be the next caretaker prime minister because I am more simple, good-natured, honest, God-fearing, a man from amongst the people and assure you of my qualities as most obedient to the bosses, do anything and go any limit for their pleasure, take every man in my cabinet irrespective of his low credentials, and services for Pakistan and to arrange success in elections for the boss’s relatives and colleagues.

Please pray for me!