"Things are not looking good."
"Well, the President should not have gone to the US once President Obama refused to give him time."
"You Pakistanis are a bunch of conspiracy theorists. Obama didn't meet with any world leader, he focused on campaigning for his reflection bid."
"OK, but what was the point of our President's visit. He only got to meet Hillary Clinton who has already stated that she isn't going to hold any office next term even if Obama wins, besides she had already met with Hina Rabbani Khar and his meetings with Karzai and Cameron are hardly newsworthy - I mean didn't the Prime Minister meet with the two gentlemen in Kabul soon after his predecessor was disqualified?"
"OK, so all this isn't looking good too but that is not what I was referring to when I said things are not looking good."
"You surely didn't mean the rather ridiculous story about Khar, besides it has been denied by ISI and..."
"I think the paper that carried that particular story was misinformed. Khar, it is generally thought, has close links with the military and the proof of the pudding is that she held a cabinet post during Musharraf's era and holds a post at present which analysts believe is not under the control of the government if you know what I mean."
"OK, but that is still not what I was referring to."
"If you reckon the economy is in a tailspin..."
"No that news has been with us for a couple of years at least."
"OK, I give up. What were you referring to?"
"If intelligence agencies are relying on Rehman Malik to defend them in the media then there is a serious problem."
"Hey, I heard that they are OK as long as Malik is not defending them while eating a banana!"
"Don't be facetious".