The Wizard of If

Whilst there may be some confusion about whether Bilawal Bhutto, Co-chairman of the PPP is to be the leader of the house if he is elected, what is evident is that the PPP is looking to a parliamentary future very different to that they currently occupy.

An announcement was made by none other to the leader of the house himself Khursheed Shah when speaking to reporters in Sukkur on the evening of Wednesday December 28.



If Bhutto fils is elected quoth Mr Shah then he volunteered to support and advise the parliamentary tyro. In a further revelation, as yet unconfirmed, he said that Bilawal’s sister Bakhtawar Bhutto is also to contest the next General Election.  Both eventualities are in the realms of ‘If’, but in the foreground but to one side of the stage, is the Wizard of If, a master of prestidigitation, deception and trickery.

Beneath the swirling cloak and behind the genial smile the Wizard of If, none other than Asif Zardari himself, is set to pull off a trick like no other that if successful – and there are many ‘ifs’ along the way -  will see himself and two of his children sitting in parliament before the end of the current government.

The report regarding the leadership of the house passing to Bilawal in the event of his election has been denied, but the likelihood of him winning a seat are high, the chances of his sister less clear. Assuming one or both are elected then the Wizard of If, from within parliament or without, is going to be pulling the strings as he has done during the period of his self exile so recently ended.



All the best magicians have glamorous assistants, the front-of-house dressing that serves as a distraction while the conjuror goes about his business. Neither of the Bhutto children is going to be doing anything other than the will of the Master if they gain seats.

Any growth and development that Bilawal might make as a politician is going to be overshadowed by his father, the Wizard of If. We await developments with interest.