(Disclaimer: this is a work of fiction. Learn to take a joke; you’ll live longer.)
ISLAMABAD – Reiterating that they were all in the same boat, Foreign Minister Shah Mahmood Qureshi on Wednesday invited PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif and other parliamentary leaders to offer their input on Pakistan’s foreign policy, which Qureshi maintained, “I frankly know as much about, as you do”.
Addressing the National Assembly Qureshi said, “I would like to thank PPP chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari and Leader of the Opposition Shahbaz Sharif for showing solidarity with the people Pakistan in this state of alertness. Now I am looking forward to them showing solidarity with me in my current state of inertness.”
“Bilawal offered that in these testing times, he is willing to take a bipartisan approach on foreign policy. I take this offer and I invite Bilawal and Shahbaz Sharif and the leader of the MMA to the foreign office. We are willing to seek their input on foreign policy, because this is a time when the civilian leadership stands together; to send a message that it is united to defend itself.”
Qureshi, as he had done last week, reiterated that it’s important that all political parties express unity on foreign and security policy.
“We are all in the same boat when it comes to security and foreign policy. And I, as the Foreign Minister of Pakistan, frankly know about our foreign policy as much as you do.”
