PARTLY FACETIOUS: The number of MoUs signed by PM has broken all previous records?

“The Interior Minister was in the UK, then I think Iraq, and then in the US on a road show.”

“No trip to the Vatican this time.”

“Shut up, anyway, that’s a busy travel schedule. That trumps the number of our prime minister’s foreign visits, and that is truly impressive.”

“How do you know he went to all these countries?”

“I saw it on television.”

“Television of the countries he visited?”

“Don’t be facetious. Anyway, in the UK he was shown outside their Foreign Office, in Iraq he was seated with Iraqi officials negotiating on preferential treatment to be given to Pakistanis who visit holy sites and in the US he donned the Chairman Pakistan Cricket Board hat…”

“Hmmm I saw it was not quite a Jinnah hat and not quite a beret but somewhere in between.”

“Hey, don’t be persnickety.”

“Persnickety?”

“Prickly. Just because they use the taxpayers’ money to go on these trips, you have to look at the outcome of the visits and…”

“Right, I reckon that the number of memoranda of understanding signed by the Prime Minister has broken all previous records.”

“Stop right there – it takes time for the MoUs to become binding contracts and as you know our religion teaches us patience…”

“Our geopolitical relevance has skyrocketed these days, so why can’t we ask for roll-overs or loan write offs instead of MoUs?”

“We are not beggars, we are…”

“In lieu of our enhanced…”

“Anyway, for your information I have it on very good authority that the Chairman of PCB will bring in millions of dollars…”

“I agree, and perhaps he should be part of the team that seeks foreign investment and…”

“Hmmm.”

“What?”

“Pakistan television would have a rough time in choosing who to give how much air time to – the Deputy prime minister or the Interior Minister?”

“Don’t be facetious.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2025