PARTLY FACETIOUS: There is a new kid on the block

“I don’t understand it.”

“What? That Modi is not happy and is…”

“No I understand Modi – he hates Muslims in general and Pakistanis in particular, don’t forget he was the butcher of Gujarat which was why the US refused him a visa.”

“Indeed, but visas are easy to get once you become the prime minister, why are you laughing?”

“Well our three times prime minister, Nawaz Sharif, true to form did not learn any lessons from this either – he opted for an iqama from the United Arab Emirates rather than…”

“I was aware that his appointments with reference to the position of chief of army staff were not quite…”

“Ha ha ha indeed, and as a civilian, he probably is at the head of the queue of civilian prime ministers appointing Chief of Army Staff…”

“Right, but that’s not what I meant when I said I don’t understand.”

“Oh, were you referring to his decision to put his own ambition to be the fourth time prime minister in abeyance…”

“Good choice of word — abeyance means a temporary suspension, so…”

“Temporary can change into permanent.”

“Indeed it can, but it does leave the door slightly ajar, if you know what I mean. Anyway, that wasn’t what I was referring to when I said I don’t understand.”

“OK, I give up. Tell me.”

“Well if you are clearly the loser do you dictate terms?”

“Modi doesn’t think he is the loser and his narrative…”

“True, but Modi is not the one I was referring to when I said I don’t understand. I was actually referring to Ukraine’s Zelenskyy and three Western European leaders, Starmer, Metz, and Macron, all are not at the head of the queue in terms of being popular leaders in their own countries, but they are loudly demanding that the winning side, Russia, accepts a 30-day unconditional ceasefire so that, with the US, they have time to resupply Ukraine with military hardware…”

“Isn’t that still being provided, and yet the Ukrainians are losing?”

“It’s those dratted North Koreans…”

“Don’t be facetious.”

“The West is not going to send fighting men and women, Europe doesn’t have the manpower and US ain’t interested – soldiers must be Ukrainian and I heard recruitment drive there is not going as per plan anymore.”

“Right, but there is talk of appropriating the 300 billion dollars of Russian sovereign…”

“Ah, but would Russia let that go forever, and what about other countries who keep their reserves in Europe? Wouldn’t they opt to take their reserves out of……”

“Don’t know but what I find unacceptable is the Western media that I used to watch to get the right news and now…”

“There is a new kid on the block, my friend – a new international world order.”

“Hmmmmm.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025