BALOCHISTAN — In his last days, leader to the Zikri sect of Islam, Abdul Ghani, moved unilaterally to purchase Church’s Chicken. Experts concluded that the inevitable backlash from the Sunni and Shi’a lead to his untimely death by gunshot in Karachi.

Confused and mourning, praying for guidance on the eve of their pilgrimage to the Mount of Desire, a council of elderly Malais sat just outside remote Gwadar in meditative silence. They awaited word from Mahdi, the promised Messiah.

Bird music above halted and the clouds wisped away in silence. Footsteps crunched up the hillside. All eyes turned to the sight of a tallish white bearded man in southern gentleman regalia: starch white suit, black bow-tie, coal black frames, and a cane to match.

“It pleases me much to see you today,” he spoke in their local Balochi dialect. From behind his back, he produced a basket of fried lamb.

“And I’m here to show you the way, gentlemen. Let’s talk business.”