Trends - PARTLY FACETIOUS - Business Recorder

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Benazir inherited her dad’s political fortune after quite a while…’

“Islam says start from within.” “Start what?” “Well charity must begin from the home.” “Right that is not unique to...

Published 21 Feb, 2026 05:36am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Would Iran splinter?’

“So what’s this narrative of Balkanisation?” “Balkanisation is defined as fragmenting nations along ethnic lines...

Published 20 Feb, 2026 05:29am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Where’s Maulana Popalzai, by the way?

“Is Maulana Shahabuddin Popalzai in Canada or the US?” “The khateeb of the historic Qasim Ali Khan mosque in...

Published 19 Feb, 2026 04:34am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Killing two birds with one stroke’

“Will the real Foreign Minister step forward?” “That’s a reference to the US television show To Tell the Truth,...

Published 18 Feb, 2026 05:55am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: All roads in the Blue Area are shut

“So if I give you two hats then how will you decide which one to wear when?” “I don’t favour hats – umbrellas or...

Published 17 Feb, 2026 06:03am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘How about creating a Board of Awards?’

“Board of Peace – has a nice ring to it.” “We also have some boards – there is Federal Board of Revenue (FBR), then...

Published 14 Feb, 2026 02:23am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Different strokes for different folks

“Asif said that the army is truly a national institution.” “That is a given, armies are national institutions, I...

Published 13 Feb, 2026 05:47am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Have we paid one billion dollars yet?

“The BoP…” “Since when did you get interested in the Bank of Punjab?” “BoP as in Board of Peace with President Trump...

Published 12 Feb, 2026 04:44am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Why doesn’t he reduce current expenditure?

“So good news hunh!” “Yeah the Finance Minister has pledged to achieve a surplus of 1.6 percent of GDP.” “And that...

Published 11 Feb, 2026 04:48am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Wearing two hats

“So success in the field right!” “Yes our cricket team did win the match, the pool match…” “The policy decision...

Published 10 Feb, 2026 05:50am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Wait for the trickle-down theory to come into effect…’

“Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif announced a major package for Azad Jammu and Kashmir.” “Right, was it part of the...

Updated 07 Feb, 2026 06:15am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Who used to threaten powerful people publicly?

“The government needs to focus on what matters most.” “Indeed and you must appreciate Shehbaz Sharif (SS) who met...

Published 04 Feb, 2026 05:49am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Interfaith harmony isn’t Naqvi’s ‘beat’

“The Prime Minister, the patron in chief of cricket, and the Chairman of the Pakistan Cricket Board, a man who has...

Published 03 Feb, 2026 06:05am

Print

Partly Facetious: The focus is on the dolphin, blind or not, but on the ball

“I can’t understand the choice of a statue of a dolphin playing with a ball on Constitution Avenue. I mean,...

Published 31 Jan, 2026 04:59am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Airwaves are full of Western technology

“So who is telling the truth in Tirah valley?” “The government.” “And you say that because?” “Because to stay...

Published 29 Jan, 2026 05:59am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Ahsan has the ‘vision’ to go well beyond govt’s tenure

“I reckon they have found The Visionary’s replacement.” “The Visionary! Oh I get it – President Trump – like all...

Published 28 Jan, 2026 05:34am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Showing solidarity with Bangladesh

“To issue a notification or not to issue a notification that is the question.” “You have never worked for government...

Published 27 Jan, 2026 05:11am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The cook is one and the cauldrons are many

“So Shehbaz Sharif signed the Board of Peace Charter with President Trump looking on?” “I don’t see why that would...

Published 24 Jan, 2026 04:57am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The Board of Peace

“Pakistan and other Muslim nations including Saudi Arabia and I assume Qatar – countries that played a role as...

Published 23 Jan, 2026 05:48am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Macron checkmated by Trump

“So President Macron has refused a seat on the Board of Peace…” “And President Trump has checkmated him by uploading...

Updated 22 Jan, 2026 08:18am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Take away D from DPM

“So one billion dollars for a membership at the Peace Board.” “Right, but it won’t be like getting a golden visa I...

Published 21 Jan, 2026 03:43am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The second bride of Junaid Safdar less pretty than his mum

“Why don’t we try the Trump model?” “You mean initiate criminal charges against Governor State Bank of Pakistan...

Updated 20 Jan, 2026 07:08am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Fast-tracking private sector investment

“The World Bank hath spoken.” “Granted that when multilaterals say jump we say how high, a situation that has...

Published 17 Jan, 2026 05:51am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Aurangzeb made a deeply profound statement

“Muhammad Aurangzeb, the Finance Minister, said something extremely profound.” “May I take this opportunity to...

Published 16 Jan, 2026 07:24am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Will Trump steal Nobel Peace Prize?

“I would like to propose a new Nobel Prize.” “Well, if truth be told the number of awards have increased since...

Updated 15 Jan, 2026 06:41am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: CM KP represents a leadership that only has Plan A

“I am not sure who to believe?” “Is there evidence – preferably pictorial and not an opinion?” “It’s pictorial, but...

Published 14 Jan, 2026 05:56am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The world of diplomacy is dead globally

“Why the change of heart?” “There is a change of heart globally – the Emiratis and the Saudis…”“I get it, your...

Published 13 Jan, 2026 05:44am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The Rana under renewed political focus

“So you say tomato the American way and I say it the English way.” “Whatever prompted that!” “The government says it...

Published 10 Jan, 2026 06:29am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Spiritual guides have the capacity to reach beyond a jail cell?

“The conduct of war has undergone a change and perhaps we need to learn some lessons.” “We did win from India as you...

Published 09 Jan, 2026 05:41am

Print

PARTLY FACETIOUS: By the way, where is Humza?

“You know the US learned lessons from us and we need to learn some lessons from the US.” “I don’t think it’s...

Published 08 Jan, 2026 06:34am