Bhutto is Alive in Karachi!

Pakistan People Party chairman and former Pakistan president Asif Ali Zardari had been raging within since Sept. 19 when federal planning minister Asad Umar welcomed first 40 of the 80 buses for Karachi’s Green Line Bus Rapid Transport.

Unable to restrain himself further, Zardari summoned Sindh chief minister Zulfiqar Ali Shah, transport minister Awais Shah, information minister Saeed Ghani, Karachi administrator Murtaza Wahab, and his lawyer, Farooq H. Naek.

“Zulfiqar, seeing the numbers sickens me… 40 accordion buses and 40 more coming, and all for just Rs. 3 billion. Only the other day, our education minister [Syed Sardar Ali Shah] had done us proud by buying school desks at Rs 30,000 per piece… topping their less than Rs 4,000 market price. And now these buses are a mere Rs. 37 million each… Awais, wouldn’t you have bought them at Rs. 73… or even 83 million each, with Rs 40 to 50 million per piece going to my Bomer account… Such a waste really!

“And much more painful is to find that the entire system is being built for a mere Rs. 300 billion… Awais, sure, you would have at least added a 1 before the 3…

“Don’t you all agree that Imran Khan is laying waste to public service…

“No, I cannot allow this to happen. This evil needs to be nipped in the bud…

“Zulfiqar, you need to take the fight to Imran’s turf. He keeps repeating green this and green that…”

Murtaza Wahab seeks permission and is allowed to speak, “Sayeen, my Lord… I am grateful to your kindness that you honored my mother’s service and blessed me with this position. I have to report that I am working on these lines. I hired a consultant to find any reports that could be used to hit at Imran Khan’s green credentials…”

“Good… you have your mother’s servility to the House of Bhutto… the House of Bhutto-Zardari.”

“Sayeen, this consultant was asking Rs 500,000 to dig out the dirt. So, I persuaded her to bill us Rs 1.5 million… I told her that I am not asking her for a 10% cut from her fee… she can keep that but deposit the one million in your Bomer account.”

“My good boy!”

“Sayeen, this genius lady discovered a 2016 report compiled by Landscape Architecture Studio’s principal landscape architect, Komal Parvez, that this program should be cancelled because it harms invasive plant species. This report said that when the Green Line Bus speeds through the city, it will ironically be driving over the corpses of as many as 7,321 trees.”

“Good, my son… good Murtaza… that’s one arrow in our sheath. But I believe that we need real action…

“And by the way, I am sick and tired of hearing this taunt that we have been in power 13 years and Karachi has no public transport. Saeed, you are the information minister, you should have been asking these braying asses was Rome built in day! It takes time…

“Anyone remembers how Karachi buses were treated? Yes, we all know that MQM [Muttahida Qoumi Movement] has split and those loyal to Altaf Husain are now MQM-London. Yes, Murtaza that green related issue is not the instant solution to our challenges… we need drastic action… this deprivation should not and must not continue…

“I am told that Altaf is facing some hardship… is it true? What we really need is the Altaf Husain punch to kill this rapid whatever thing in the bud…

“Do you think, we can interest Altaf in this project? We can entice him with an offer to revive his London group in Karachi… the city where he started. He has the ability to get things fired up… I tell you even a couple of buses stoned and set afire… and course, with Jiyala journalists… off hand, I would say Talat Aslam of The News… Saleem Safi… Asma Shirazi cheering the wrecking…”

Wahab quickly adds, “Sayeen, and each of them extensively quoting from the Komal Parvez report… we have a winner!”

Pointing at Naik, Zardari asks, “Farooq, we need a multipronged strategy to stop this revenue loss… Bomer will start doubting my prowess… what can you work using the 18th Amendment?

“Oh yes, Owais, you need to get the journalists, I just mentioned and more to demolish the question that Imran Khan’s team will surely ask if our Sindh government is competent enough to run the Green Line…

“Owais, you need to rip apart [Sindh governor] Imran Ismail’s talk that the Green Line bus service will provide the best transport facilities to the people of Karachi. No, it will destroy their ability to cope… I mean see the strength they build by hanging out six deep on buses, sitting on roofs… tones their muscles…

“Yes, I was asking about Altaf being recruited…”

Zulfiqar Ali Shah seeks permission and adds, “Sayeen, everyone has a price. We will sacrifice your cut and offer Altaf the right price to strike terror into the hearts of those who look forward using these buses… they need never forget that they are in Karachi, not Paris!

“Sayeen, we have to keep reminding all that Bhutto is alive in Karachi… No One Can Kill Bhutto!”