“How would you define prima donna?”
“Depends?”
“Hey I am asking for a standard definition not a value judgement.”
“Good heavens. You live in the Land of the Pure where value judgments are the norm I mean we give our judgement on everything here, Maryam Nawaz’s makeup during her speeches and while attending the wedding ceremony of her son….”
“OK I give up. Can you please clarify what you meant by using the word depends when I asked for the definition of prima donna?”
“Depends on whether you are referring to an animate or an inanimate….”
“Dear God. A prima donna is never ever inanimate.”
“I understand - as an overseas Pakistani you have absolutely no idea about how we define things here because you have been away so long, ask the Fish, he claims to be an overseas Pakistani who understands your language….”
“Hey I don’t indulge in the language of hate…”
“OK anyway let me tell you what inanimate item I rate as a prima donna, or the heroine of any situation - our discount rate, it’s up again to 9.75 percent and God bless her black heart I am hoping she breaks the 13.25 percent July 2019 barrier and…”
“Don’t be facetious.”
“Then there is the dollar, another prima donna…”
“What about those responsible for…”
“Not prima donnas – I would like to praise Reza Baqir the Governor of the State Bank of Pakistan who is the first appointee of this government who actually thought out of the box. He summoned the beat reporters to collect the monetary policy statement (MPS) but warned them that he will not take any questions….”
“Isn’t that statement uploaded on the website in any case so…”
“Yes and Baqir set another new precedence for governors of state banks around the world: he refused to take question at the handing over the MPS ceremony but then gave an interview the same evening to a private channel….”
“Grapes are sour.”
“Indeed they are.”
Copyright Business Recorder, 2021