"What could he possibly say that would make any sense after what he did?"
"He said he assumed complete control to protect democracy."
"And you believe that!"
"What's not to believe? As a Pakistani I am fully aware of the ways and means that must be used to keep democracy alive."
"Don't be facetious."
"I am not being facetious. I am being very serious. I mean here we have poor President Musharraf doing so many, many things to preserve democracy that it is mind boggling.
He had to declare emergency all for the sake of democracy, then he had to fire all these recalcitrant Supreme Court judges who refused to take oath under his first order as the Chief Executive, then he had to hold a referendum, then take on Jamali, then dump him in favour of the Chosen One, then he had to keep the uniform. The guy is well over 60 and like other 60 year olds he must be tired and wanting to retire and here he has two uniforms, a civilian and a military one."
"All for the sake of democracy you say."
"Do you have any doubt?"
"Nah and I don't have any place to go if I am exiled either."
"Don't flatter yourself. You are too small a fry to bother with. Remember Javed Hashmi."
"I am not even a politician."
"But if you become an irritant then that is what will happen to you. If not then you will just be lost in the system."
"Anyway the King of Nepal said that terrorist activities coupled with politics far removed from the common man gave a fillip to instability in the nation and put democracy at risk."
"Now where have I heard those sentiments before?"
"Why right here in the land of the pure kind sir."
"Indeed. But the irony is that I have heard these sentiments from the lips of more than one man."
"Ah history does repeat itself doesn't it."