White Lies

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Hello, sir, what is this commotion going on here? Hey, it seems to be a luncheon thrown by the PTI’s Aleem Khan.

And who’s on the guest list? Why, it’s a number of TV anchors and journalists. And, oh my God, what do we have here? Some Geo journalists, attempting to create a liaison of sorts with a lady member of the PTI?! Is the party chairman around to see this? His flock being wooed by the channel that has been attracting his ire of late?

Well, from the looks of it, he doesn’t care, because he’s tearing into the biryani, the karahi, the unfortunately named kunna gosht (ask a Pashtun friend to explain) and the dessert.

Mian Nawaz Sharif might be famous for his food but the Kaptaan does like his food better. Because the former’s ticker’s been giving him some trouble, while the latter is fighting fit, not many would think Imran Khan has more of the Lahori penchant for rich food.

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Marriage halls are a big business all over the country, Lahore being no exception. Exception? The city’s probably leading the country in matrimonial extravagance. In fact, even the army’s gotten in on the business, with the Garrison halls. A splendid business to go alongside the force’s bank, leasing company, cornflakes brand etc.

Well, the recently restored Faletti’s is also in the wedding business. Yes, the famous Lahore hotel. The Quaid stayed there, so did Hollywood siren Ava Gardner – on the latter, do Google her if you’re too young to know who she is; your life is to be split up into two parts, one before you pressed “search” and the other, after.

Well, everyone wants to get married in the place. Chaudhry Munir, who owns the place, faces a volley of calls on that front. But the place has a waiting list of two years for a wedding, he says.