This weekend, more or less, has been devoted to a wedding, and not just any wedding, but that of the niece of She Whose Word Is Law. Since, much to the regret of those for whom we are fighting the War on Terror, weddings mean children, the very real prospect is opened up of She Whose Word Is Law becoming a great-aunt, and an honorary grandmother. That would make me a great-uncle-in-law, and an honorary grandfather. Now I have been wandering around in a state of shock ever since a friend told me he had become a great-uncle, because his elder brother had become a grandfather twice over, both a maternal and a paternal. Well, the only positive emerging from that situation is that he was a great-uncle because of his elder brother, not his younger. Him I disinherited, because I could, but what to do when She Whose Word Is Law thrusts great-unclehood upon me? I can neither disinherit her or myself. Well, at least one more couple understands why in-laws are actually outlaws. If it had been my niece making She Whose Word Is Law a great-aunt, and that too by marriage, the storm that would have broken around my head would have been nobodys business. But this development has been taken with equanimity. Being a great-uncle is very serious, very horrible. I remember all my parents uncles and aunts, who were my great-uncles and great-aunts, and they were mostly people who had grown up at the beginning of the last century, though some had grown up in the dying years of the 19th. Imagine having a childhood in India, under British rule, and a Victorian childhood at that One of the really exceptional things about this wedding was that the bride had all her grandparents in attendance, but the bridegroom didnt even have parents. One of the eye-openers of the wedding was the fact that it took place partly on the site of my wedding. The mehndi, which was probably only the first I attended after my own, took place at the same place, at the house of the parents of She Whose Word Is Law, also the brides grandparents. The same old hosts, with exception that one of yesterdays guests was among them. The real change was at the wedding hall. Now there is loadshedding, and a curfew of 11 oclock. As one of those last out, I can tell you that they turn off the lights twice, then turn them on again. I can also assure you that the people who come after that are meant only to stack chairs, not beat up stragglers, though those paying for the hall, probably wish they did, what with the way electricity bills, and hall bills, are going up. After all, a visit to a marriage hall shouldnt be free, at least not these days, but should be reserved for lawyers, busy protesting the Sessions Judge Lahore. I wonder why? Are the rumours true, that those leading the lawyers these days are as lacking in law degrees as the average parliamentarian? By the way, the degree thing is being used as an argument for military rule, on the ground that Army officers have university degrees. Yes, and they also have dark glasses. The offending Sessions Judge is going on forced leave today, a leave handed down after he requested a transfer. These days, however, lawyers are probably to be seen in hospital wards rather than court-rooms. Theyve probably been wounded by the police, or attending those who have been. And the police would probably prefer that to having to guard NATO tankers. NATO has joined Americans in making Pakistan safe for democracy by shooting up Pakistanis in the tribal areas, just as if they too had American Drones carrying missiles, rather than helicopter gunships. Well, it seems theres no objection to missiles, only to how theyre being carried. If carried on Drones, theyre OK, but not on helicopter gunships. There might have been a deal under Musharraf, but one assumes that didnt apply to gunships. Well, Musharraf was busy founding a party, which will probably be about as successful as Aslam Begs Awami Qiyadat Party, or Imran Khans Tehrik-i-Insaf. Musharraf might not have forgotten Pakistans Golden Years, which he thinks his Presidency were, but he should realize that he has retired as COAS, and all those politicians he is counting on, are loyal to the office, not the person. And the COASs have had no history of handing over power once seized, so theres no reason to believe thats why the present incumbent was given an extension when the USA decided not to work with somebody else. Its somehow appropriate that the first test has come over the name, with The Conquering Commando not bothering to use a different name after the PML(Q) and other former Musharraf supporters used the APML Label for themselves. When one group is deprived of the name by the Election Commission at the next election, we will know. And all the supporters of the military will know who to vote for. What is likelier is that they will both get the APML name, but gain an extra letter. M is for Musharraf, but the merged party will probably fight over whose initial is supposed to be used. And then they will break up again.