PARTLY FACETIOUS: He who laughs last laughs the longest

“The government has stated that export targets are merely indicative!”

“Noooooooooo.”

“What?”

“You mean to say that the export target of 57 billion dollars a year is only indicative and here I was banking on the…”

“You being facetious?”

“The target was export growth from around 22 to 23 billion dollars last year to 40 billion dollars this year — aren’t you impressed?”

“Hey there is no point taking the mickey out of Razzak Dawood’s targets — he is an ambitious man for the country…”

“Maybe, but with no gas the textile sector has already downgraded its target by 2 billion dollars — and if one adds the rise in electricity prices that are referred to as administered courtesy our failure to renegotiate with the International Monetary Fund…”

“We tried but failed to make any dent in the agreements reached in February 2021…wait, wait I would have you refer to those who hold high office with their correct designations…”

“I am sorry, it is easy with Governor State Bank who has held the same portfolio but Hafeez Sheikh’s portfolio kept changing from finance minister to advisor to finance minister and really I am not sure of his title when he left…”

“There you go! He was offered the title of Senator that he failed to secure while Shaukat Tarin successfully got elected and so he is now Senator Shaukat Tarin…”

“So one up on Tarin!”

“Hmmm, am not sure because the deal signed by Sheikh with the IMF has shackled the economy in many ways which implies that whoever his successor is will not be one up on him.”

“So he who laughs last laughs the longest.”

“Absolutely.”

Copyright Business Recorder, 2021