Transcultural Dialogues 

By Hakim Hazik 

The Prince: Nice moustache Ada, only slightly grizzled, gives you poise and gravitas; looks graceful and authoritative. Very compatible with your new stature. The slight trimming that I recommended seems to have worked perfectly.  

The Kingmaker: Who are you? What are you doing here? Why have you come to Islamabad? I could have seen you in Karachi.  

P: Distance does not matter to me anymore Ada, nor does the time. I could see you in the Zardari House or in the Bilawal House or in Burj Dubai or in the Rockwood Estate or in Trump Towers or in Florida, or any of the other elegant addresses that you maintain. Or I could even see you at 70 Clifton, inside or outside Ada except for the load shedding. Sometimes it gets very dark outside; as dark as it was on that night in 1996. I am buying some powerful UPSs, so that there is no darkness and everything can be seen clearly. There are some dark truths lurking outside 70 Clifton Ada. They have to be dealt with. Adi has asked me to buy another UPS for Karsaz as well.  

K: Look, I have not been in good health. I had a heart problem. I have spent 8 years in prison. The country has come through rivers of blood. Have mercy.  

P: You may not know it Ada but you are still in prison, you are just not in Hyderabad Jail. Islamabad is a prison and you are all prisoners. Your jailers come and click their heals and perform smart salutes. They bow and scrape and kiss the ground. Don’t be taken in by this pomp and splendour Ada, you are still their prisoner. This is what they did to Papa. You are entertained and fattened, till the hangman’s noose is ready. If you want to be free, you have to demolish this prison Ada. You are not free, I am free.  

K: We are just starting to settle in. Everything takes time. All will be well in the longer term.  

P: Don’t wait for the long term Ada. Long term is what was done to me in 1996. Long term is what has happened to Papa, Shahnwaz and Adi. Long term is what your friends do to you when you are not looking. The long term solution was provided to SHO Sayyal, Ada, by the people we need not name. He knew too much. Dr Shoaib Suddle is still going places. He knew better than to know too much.  

K: For God’s sake, leave me alone. Somebody ring the IG. Malik Sahib, Naek Sahib where are you?

Please also see:  Article by Fatima Bhutto, The Daughter of the West