"That is now the consensus and need I add I have been saying all along, and by all along I mean the entire time Dar held the portfolio of finance and strutted around the corridors of power dismissing all and sundry that his policies were flawed - policies that were the outcome of Dar's understanding of a balance sheet and not the economy, and an International Monetary Fund (IMF) Mission Leader who was focused on programme completion, remember the previous programme had been suspended with two tranches remaining, as promotions in multilateral institutions are linked to delivery of a programme..."
"And the proof of what you are saying is evident from the fact that the economy began to show signs of distress with declining exports, rising imports and declining foreign exchange reserves last year."
"Right and Dar's remedy was to borrow more, and as no other bilateral or multilateral would lend to him after the Fund programme was completed by September 2016 as there was no comfort level with respect to adherence to a reform agenda Dar procured a whopping 4 billion dollars from foreign banks at high rates of interest and extremely short repayment period."
"And as he was virtually in-charge of the country - economy, politics, relations with opposition parties, relations' with other countries - he would direct his minions, all except the First Family, to support his flawed narrative - that everything was great and the economy was booming..."
"And shrines like the Bari Imam and Datta Sahib were being run smoothly."
"Don't be facetious."
"I am not being facetious, didn't the Motorway march by the former Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif end near the well-run shrine of Datta sahib in Lahore?"
"OK but I would urge the powers that be, that Dar must be brought back to the country - the policy to allow those who have done a grave disservice to the country to relocate abroad must be abandoned because without punishment there is danger that this practice will continue...."
"What are you an adherent of dictatorships? Powers that be indeed?"
"Sorry let me rephrase that: all those who are currently abroad and have rendered a grave disservice to this country through taking decisions when in power that benefited them personally, must be returned to the country to stand trial, and Musharraf must top the list, and this can be done by setting up an autonomous accountability bureau and..."
"Good luck with that."
Copyright Business Recorder, 2017