No worries
With political machinations going on non-stop, it’s no wonder The Great Khan and his horde are looking over their shoulders. This Budget season was no different. There was a lurking fear that the fracas in Parliament may have been a prelude to preventing the Budget from being passed. Failure to pass the Finance Bill is a Vote of No Confidence and Parliament stands dissolved. Naturally, a few nervous ministers approached The Great Khan and said we need to do something to appease the Opposition and cool temperatures in Parliament or we may be unable to pass the Finance Bill. We hear The Khan was unmoved and unflappable. He shrugged his shoulders and replied that those who need to get their one and a half trillion rupee budget passed will ensure the Finance Bill goes through. “That’s nearly US $ 8 billion”, he is reported to have said, “substantially up from what Nawaz Sharif was giving them, so no worries!”
Empty handed
Why didn’t The Great Khan jump at the opportunity to visit London at Boris’ invitation to watch cricket, followed by tea and scones at No 10? The mandarins at our FO wanted the Brits to have a more purposeful meeting with The Khan, including agreements for financial and development assistance. And most crucially, to settle the question of the extradition of The Man of Steel. A hint to this effect was given by Sheeda Tully when he shot his mouth off in advance. We hear the Brits flatly refused to commit to any of the above, especially the proposed extradition. These matters are decided by our courts, they said, not by the government. Also, The Man of Steel has obtained leave to stay on in the UK, after the expiry of his visa and forfeiture of his passport. His British lawyers have argued his case well and established the fact that he was treated unfairly by the Pakistani Courts and his life was threatened with poor conditions in prison. So, The Khan was advised not to go, lest he return empty handed.
ENDS ENDS
