"Good heavens what in the world are you talking about?"
"You remember the poem The Ancient Mariner by Coleridge and its most memorable line is water, water everywhere and ne'er a drop to drink...and the water he is referring to is sea water which is not drinkable you know..."
"Hey, don't talk about the past - you do know that today there is technology that enables you to drink sea water but it is a lot more expensive".
"Quite a lot more expensive, John Kennedy, executive director of engineering and water resources at the Orange County Water District, in California stated recently that groundwater costs $402 per acre-foot (an acre-foot is about 326,000 gallons, about enough for two average American families per year). Imported water costs $1,059 per acre-foot in Southern California and desalinated ocean water costs $1,900 to $2,100 per acre-foot."
"Big difference, but if desalination projects go forward, the average household bill is expected to increase by $3 to $6 each month, Kennedy said so doable!"
"Is that more or less what is pocketed by the water mafia in Karachi?"
"I am not sure, but then the Karachiites with unlimited supply of sea water would..."
"I bet the water mafia will go on strike."
"Are you being facetious?"
"No, in this country everyone goes on strike and the water mafia will lose their income and you would need another Joint Investigation Team..."
"You are being facetious."
"No, I mean if you want to be heard, whether you operate in the legal or illegal sector you go on strike - the oil tanker owners, the young doctors, the lawyers after beating up a member of the lower judiciary, and recently the Islamabad cab drivers, with dirty, old cars grossly overcharging went on the rampage because we prefer to summon a cab through the internet - you know Uber and Kareem..."
"Yeah, technology makes so many lose their incomes..."
"Don't be facetious this is not right."
"Indeed, but you distracted me, when I mentioned Sharifs being everywhere I was referring to their pictures all over Punjab with their names being heard every five minutes at least on channels but they are not present when they are summoned..."
"How dare the National Accountability Bureau minions dare to summon a Sharif!"
"Hey, they went all the way from Islamabad to Lahore and never a Sharif showed up though apparently neither did the NAB officials in the office as they didn't expect the Sharifs to show up."
"Smart lads! What a Dar?"
"Nope, but I reckon the Sharifs will have to make a sacrifice..."
"I know give the son-in-law."
"He may put his foot in his mouth."
"Samdhi?"
"Based on past experience that maybe..."
"Hush, let's let them sort it out."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017