PARTLY FACETIOUS: Minister of Interior and Chairman of the PCB is like a wandering albatross

“It is such a struggle to come to work every day.”

“How come? There is not that much traffic in the federal capital anymore because half of our civil servants paid salaries from our tax rupees stay at home as part of the government’s austerity drive …”

“Yeah due to the Middle East conflict, I had thought that the current round of negotiation was succeeding — JD Vance wrote a less, how can I put it, less IMF type of letter to the Iranians.”

“Where does the IMF come in? Last Iran applied for a Fund loan, 6 billion dollars, was in March 2020 for COVID-19 relief, the first the country requested since almost 1960, and I think it was opposed by the US so …”

“I said JD Vance’s letter was less harsh than the IMF press releases and documents that we in Pakistan are routinely getting under the ongoing Extended Fund Facility programme.”

“Don’t be facetious anyway on Monday the US and Israeli planes attacked some Iranian islands contiguous to the Strait of Hormuz, so much for JD Vance’s less insulting tone …”

“When I said it was a struggle to come to work I wasn’t referring to the price of petrol which the government is considering reducing but … ….”

“I know it is a struggle for you to come to work because your car is old and repairs are costing you a hell of a lot more.”

“That’s true, but the government has already approved or is about to approve used car imports by commercial importers and ….”

“Right so not that either?”

“Nope it’s the dratted cricket teams who have been in the country for over a month. Where ever they go the road blocks are ….”

“I heard that, in Lahore too people are complaining.”

“Must be loyalists of The Man Who Must Remain Nameless, Voiceless and Faceless ….”

“Well the thing is that the dual hatted Minister of Interior and Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board is like a wandering albatross, the bird with the largest wing span, and his wing span now extends from Islamabad to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to Punjab’s heartland Lahore and ….”

“Careful my friend.”

“Mian sahib is out of the country ….”

“But a faithful ally Salik Hussain is here.”

“What goes up must come down at some point.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2026