“The BoP…”
“Since when did you get interested in the Bank of Punjab?”
“BoP as in Board of Peace with President Trump as its lifetime chair with an entrance fee of one billion dollars and a meeting has been called for the 19th of this month in Washington DC…”
“Who is going from Pakistan? The prime minister, the president or the…”
“Stop right there, my informed response: the decision will be taken jointly by the troika.”
“OK but will we be represented by one or perhaps two…”
“I said stop.”
“Maybe one will be back up, just in case?”
“Cease, desist. By the way, have we paid the one billion dollars yet?”
“No we have asked the IMF, and they have said they will consider it but we would need to pass on higher tariffs and taxes onto the people of this country and …”
“Don’t be facetious. Anyway I am not sure any of the 26 countries that accepted the invite have paid – though I am fairly certain that those appointed by Trump get in gratis – Witkoff and Kushner, Rubio and Tony Blair and then there is…”
“These guys have more ability to pay than the countries that are declared as founding members: Argentina, Armenia, Azerbaijan, Albania, Bahrain, Belarus, Bulgaria, Cambodia, El Salvador, Egypt, Hungary, Indonesia, Jordan, Kazakhstan, Kosovo, Kuwait, Mongolia, Morocco, Pakistan, Paraguay, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Türkiye, the United Arab Emirates, Uzbekistan, and Vietnam, so perfect balance – 13 are Muslim countries and 13 non-Muslim countries.”
“Right, but some Muslim countries are more equal than others, and by that I mean they are likely to vote with the US.”
“And you reckon the US will vote with Israel!”
“Let’s follow Benazir Bhutto’s philosophy: it is better not to leave the field open to adversaries…”
“Even if there are concerns over the transparency of the process or procedure or whatever?”
“Even if, so my take on the lifetime chairmanship of President Trump that is raising heckles all over the world with people saying this Board may replace the United Nations. I mean what inane conclusion: don’t they know that once the seat of power is vacated then that individual becomes, how shall I put, redundant?”
“Redundant as in jobless?”
“No redundant as in superfluous. Once Trump is no longer the US President….and for those who challenge this they should look at Faiz Hameed, Musharraf, and….”
“Nawaz Sharif?”
“Nope he continues to hold court in Punjab and on occasion in the capital and…”
“Hmmmm and the conclusion is…”
“That it’s a nice sunny day today.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2026
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