"What kind of secret?"
"One in which national security maybe compromised!"
"Hey shush, you are in Islamabad - nothing is secret here... let's go to Murree..."
"Don't be facetious, besides I heard the newest recruit in the Sharif family employ in Murree, I believe it is the butler, has ties to some intelligence agency and... "
"Stop, anyway unlike Jindal as a Pakistani national you don't even need a visa to go to Murree."
"I said don't be facetious, we have entered the Year of the Legal Notices."
"OK, but it couldn't be much of a secret if you know about it, I mean your mouth is like a sieve, all that you know or even think you know simply filters out; by the way you aren't a card holding member of the ruling PML-N party are you?"
"No, why do you ask?"
"Mian sahib has a kitchen cabinet that he trusts completely and no one else, and which is referred to as The Family..."
"Hey, The Family is used for the mafia families and I would urge you to desist..."
"Sorry, sorry, I was just carried away by the reference to Balzac picked up by Puzo in his book The Godfather in the Panama verdict."
"OK, but unfortunately, what happens in The Family (M) as in mafia doesn't happen in The Family (S) as in Sharif because someone tells someone who tells someone else who uploads it on the social media..."
"Right, The Family (S) is like the Water and Power Ministry - generates criticism by its own poor governance and anyone who criticises its governance the Minister huffs and puffs and blows hot and cold ..."
"I don't get it!"
"Maryam Nawaz tweeted recently that the Indian steel magnate Jindal was an old family friend while her brother Hussain stated last year on record that Mian sahib met Jindal only once..."
"What's the lesson learned in this?"
"Same lesson that was not learned in the Panama case: do not make any statements that are later contradicted by another member of The Family (S)."
"Right and The Family (S) must be made aware that there is a replay button available to the electronic media..."
"Ha ha ha."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017