When Baba Bulleh Shah lost his most precious possession, he wrote:
“A thief has struck my bundle.”
The most valuable asset of the Tazadistanis (residents of the land of contradictions) has also gone missing. News of its disappearance is everywhere, but no clue of its whereabouts has been found. It is also unknown whether someone has stolen it, taken it by force, or if, like Jalaluddin Rumi’s master Fariduddin Attar, it has gone away on its own in anger.

When its disappearance was reported in the Lost and Found column of the Newspaper of Dreams and Thoughts, it immediately struck that this is why the house feels empty. Outwardly, everything seems to be running smoothly—food is being eaten, enjoyment continues, the enemy has been subdued in war, no dangerous challenge looms in politics. The master of the house is present, and his aides are closely watching every place, every matter, and every detail. The trees are swaying, music plays in the background—yet something feels missing, some void, some incompleteness remains.

In reality, “Brother Faisla” (Decision Brother) has gone missing from our Tazadistani household. He has vanished in such a way that no decision can be made, and even if some false, true, or half-baked decision is somehow made, it ends up becoming a burden. Ever since Brother Faisla left, everything has become mixed up. Despite having an experienced federal cabinet, within the same year and same season, sugar was first exported with the argument that there was excess stock. Then, in the very same season, the same capable cabinet imported sugar, fearing a shortage. This incompetence stems only from the disappearance of Brother Faisla—otherwise, how could a government make two contradictory decisions in one season?

If Brother Faisla were among us, would agriculture be in such a state? Cotton production would not have declined. Despite announcing the Green Initiative and agricultural subsidies, no sector in agriculture saw growth—only decline has been recorded. There’s no one to buy the farmer’s wheat. Even though the master desired agriculture to flourish, for bumper crops to appear, the opposite happened. The only reason: the absence of Brother Faisla.

It was said that a flood of foreign investors was approaching, but the budget tells a completely different tale. Forget foreign investors—even local investors have pulled their hands back. The growth rate is disappointing. How can this be happening despite the presence of an extremely capable finance minister and an experienced deputy prime minister? Clearly, there’s only one logical reason: the absence of Brother Faisla. Otherwise, with such intelligence and experience, how could such a depressing situation arise?

Moreover, the government earnestly wanted to increase taxes. With great effort, taxes were raised too. The intention was to expand the tax net by including traders and new sectors. However, recent figures show that the tax net hasn’t widened—the entire burden has instead fallen on salaried classes, who are already overburdened. Even here, despite powerful and influential officers, the whole game is falling apart due to the lack of Brother Faisla.

The federal government is being run by the most experienced cabinet in history. No one in the country can match the prime minister’s experience; he possesses the best administrative abilities. In the cabinet are more than six personal staff officers trained by the prime minister himself, working shoulder to shoulder. Who could be more trustworthy than personal staff officers? They even understand the gesture of an eyebrow. No one knows the qualities of the boss better—not even his family. Despite such a “splendid” cabinet, decisions are not being made. The problem is the same—the absence of Brother Faisla. If only someone could find and bring Brother Faisla back.

The Prime Minister House is currently run under the supervision of the most capable, intelligent, and experienced officers in history. Experience has refined them like gold. The personal staff officers have completely shut all paths of bribery, nepotism, and politics. There is only one shortcoming. And that shortcoming too, is just because of Brother Faisla. Otherwise, there is neither lack of good intent, nor corruption, nor lack of capacity. It’s just that Brother Faisla is nowhere to be seen.

When Bulleh Shah’s bundle was stolen, he had full knowledge of how the theft occurred, who the thief was, and what treasures were hidden inside that were now lost. Our Tazadistani house doesn’t know everything—but we have some clues. Psychologists and sociologists offer historical, social, and psychological reasons for this mysterious disappearance. According to them, like Fariduddin Attar, Brother Faisla was tormented so much by the jealous that he was forced to part from his beloved Rumi. In our home too, Brother Faisla was harassed and troubled for 75 years to the extent that he finally went missing. There’s no news, no trace of him.

Experts say that the household performance lady (Begum Performance) had been given full authority by Brother Faisla—she managed the entire system. She made mistakes, but also brought improvements, kept the house standing with new ideas. But her step-uncle, Mr. Accountability (Mian Ehtesab), had suffocated her voice. He found faults in her every move; Brother Faisla defended her, but Mr. Ehtesab was showered with praise by the sheep and goats (the public). Mr. Ehtesab expanded his network to such an extent that Brother Faisla could hardly breathe. The web of conspiracies became so brutal that even any government, any minister, even a prime minister or president could hardly escape.

Ever since Mr. Ehtesab brought Madam NAB and Tax-un-Nisa—two rival co-wives—face to face against Begum Performance, the household system began to stall. Aunt Anti-Corruption and Madam Justice (Court Lady) had already tightened their grip. Faced with these new misfortunes, Begum Performance chose retirement from active life to devote herself to prayer. Brother Faisla became disheartened—he had relied entirely on Begum Performance. When she withdrew from managing the household, everything fell apart. Brother Faisla realized he had become irrelevant, bid farewell to the house, and vanished who knows where. Since that day, no decisions are being made in the household. Everything else is fine—just Brother Faisla is missing.

Perhaps now, after this Lost and Found advertisement, someone may bring him back—and the garden of life will bloom again.