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Anjum Ibrahim

Anjum Ibrahim

Business Recorder

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PARTLY FACETIOUS: The trend in this country is not to invest in Pakistan but outside

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The trend in this country is not to invest in Pakistan but outside

“Trump dished the French President.” “Dished? Like what? As in barbecue, curry?” “Or pizza – Nawaz Sharif does like pizza doesn’t...

latest 8

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Bravado never ever serves anyone well

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Bravado never ever serves anyone well

“So bravado aside…” “Stop right there.” “I am not…” “Whatever you planned to do, stop right there, my friend. Bravado never ever...

yesterday 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Ministry of Finance operates like President Trump

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Ministry of Finance operates like President Trump

“So, is plausible deniability, people specific?” “I think the right question is whether it is individual specific or portfolio specific.”...

previous day 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

The assumptions in FY26 budget

The assumptions in FY26 budget

The budget 2025-26 makes one implicit and three explicit assumptions that enable its architects to present a set of expenditure and revenue targets in...

tuesday 30

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: We in the Subcontinent don’t take preemptive actions

PARTLY FACETIOUS: We in the Subcontinent don’t take preemptive actions

“So the operative word is pre-emptive.” “What?” “It’s a good word. It justifies taking an action that does not have merit at the time it...

15.06.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘We don’t talk shoes, we talk pages’

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘We don’t talk shoes, we talk pages’

“The word blitzkrieg comes to mind.” “Whatever do you mean?” “Blitzkrieg means lightning war – an offensive warfare method responsible...

14.06.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Why did FBR Chairman cancel usual press conference after budget speech?

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Why did FBR Chairman cancel usual press conference after budget speech?

“A universal rule prevails: lessons need not be learned if they go counter to a declared strategy.” “I would have you know I do learn lessons -...

13.06.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Our economic signers have never required anger management courses

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Our economic signers have never required anger management courses

“Do we have any anger management classes in this country?” “I have never heard of such classes, why do you ask?” “Well many world leaders...

12.06.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS

PARTLY FACETIOUS

‘Operation Spiderweb’ “I learnt that 10,000 additional votes are referred to as an injection.” “Really! Who said that?” “Well informed...

06.06.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: IG Sindh says Malir jail houses mainly drug users and…

PARTLY FACETIOUS: IG Sindh says Malir jail houses mainly drug users and…

“What’s the difference between judicious and judiciary?” “Hey, there is no relationship between the two words that I know of. And if this is...

05.06.2025 10

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Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: We don’t have royalty in this country

PARTLY FACETIOUS: We don’t have royalty in this country

“There are reports that Prince Harry explored the option of taking his mother’s last name.” “Ooops.” “What?” “Well if he is a Spencer...

04.06.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

Low-cost housing: need for prudence

Low-cost housing: need for prudence

There is an ongoing housing crisis in several European countries attributed to locals renting out to tourists, prompting anti-tourism protests in...

03.06.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

Partly Facetious: Budget will have to be approved by IMF

“I was wondering….” “Hey, a country’s survival always trumps the economy, so I reckon defence outlay will increase in the forthcoming...

31.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Zardari sahib is a master of micro economic management’

“So is there agreement or isn’t there agreement?” “On what?” “On the budget. Has the International Monetary Fund’s team approved the...

28.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

Pakistan’s flawed tax structure

Donor agencies have been clamouring for reforms in Pakistan’s unfair, inequitable and anomalous tax structure but to date to no avail. Ideally, the...

27.05.2025 30

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: An accountant’s common sense?

“One must change with the times, don’t you think!” “C S Lewis, the well-known author of children’s books said isn’t it funny when day by...

25.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: With AI one doesn’t even know what is fake or not

“I understand that politicians can no longer rely on optics to look good given the prevalence of social media.” “Right, but could someone tell...

24.05.2025 20

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Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Why doesn’t First Uncle get a new Chairman of PCB?

“You know there is so much the West can learn from us!” “Well, the food here is…” “They have Pakistani and Indian food outlets in their...

22.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Naming and shaming has lost its pungency worldwide

“Naming and shaming is a tool that is dead.” “It was not even birthed in the Land of the Pure. I mean, we go through cycles…” “Yes I know...

21.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

The IMF speaks with a forked tongue

Uploading the first review report on the International Mone-tary Fund (IMF) website on the weekend (Saturday), eight days after the Board approved the...

20.05.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

Budget: What should be key priorities?

Budget preparations are underway in the federal capital with major stakeholders putting in their requests for next year’s allocations (current and...

20.05.2025 60

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: There is a new kid on the block

“I don’t understand it.” “What? That Modi is not happy and is…” “No I understand Modi – he hates Muslims in general and Pakistanis in...

18.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: A Treaty is not an MoU

“So what’s a treaty?” “A treaty is a binding formal agreement, contract, or any other written instrument that establishes obligations between...

17.05.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The US-Saudi deals

“President Trump has signed over 140 billion dollar defence deals with the Saudi Crown prince.” “I have one question.” “Well don’t forget...

16.05.2025 40

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Promoting Chinese fighter planes in a big way

“You know, we show-cased the Chinese jets to the world, including the French Rafale, and I bet they have a massive list of orders and…” ...

15.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘The Gang of Four’

“Prime Minister must revisit the actions of The Gang of Four.” “Modi is one, but I can’t guess who the other three are.” “One is the...

14.05.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

The cost of war

Pakistani Defence Minister Khawaja Asif stated on 28 April, six days after the 22 April Pahalgam terror attack that killed 25 Indian and one Nepali...

13.05.2025 90

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The Budget on June 2

“So the federal government has stated that the budget would be presented on 2 June.” “Right, but is that date contingent on the ongoing India...

11.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: We won because we downed their planes, expensive planes

“Has it died down, you reckon?” “Ï am not quite sure – one minister says that the country has avenged the attack by downing Indian planes...

10.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Trump says has called off any more attacks on Yemen

“War is not a joke.” “Indeed not but…” “There is no but here – I want it to stop.” “What you said yesterday — Ye Men.”...

09.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: English is a third language for GPS

“Ye Men.” “Oh, for Pete’s sake! With India getting ever more belligerent, this is no time for such feminist remarks!” “What?” “OK, I...

08.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Brown Pope’ is grade 23?

“Why wasn’t the Greedy for Portfolios Samdhi (GPS) at the airport to welcome the Iranian Foreign Minister – a country which has good relations...

07.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

US-China trade war

The Liberation Day “reciprocal” tariffs announced by US President Donald Trump were stayed for 90 days on 9 April for all countries except China....

06.05.2025 70

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Marco Rubio calling up our prime minister and the Indian foreign minister

“There is no proportionality.” “Right, Israel’s attacks in Gaza…” “That’s not what I was referring to.” “I thought there was...

04.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: The country is finally united

“I can unhesitatingly say the country is finally united.” “War or the threat of war unites even a very divided nation.” “I remember the...

03.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: There is a need to divest the Brown Pope of at least one of his hats

“I do think that the presence of all national leaders, not only regional, be ensured in the assembly…” “Nawaz Sharif has not yet...

01.05.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘We can no longer suffer accountants gladly’

“Just wondering about war strategies.” “Yes, daily exchange of fire across our borders with India after the Pahalgam attack…” “I am...

30.04.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

Pakistan and rating agencies

The history of Pakistan’s rating by all three international agencies — Standard and Poor’s (S&P), Moody’s and Fitch — is disturbing as the...

29.04.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Dar demands India provide proof

“Thank you, thank you and then again thank you.” “I am not sure who you are thanking and for what, but I hope that Indo-Pak tensions do not...

27.04.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Deception is part of state craft, isn’t it?’

“Deception is part of state craft, isn’t it?” “Right Machiavelli wrote everyone admits how praiseworthy it is in a prince to keep his word,...

26.04.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: ‘Speed, my friend, has become more important than meeting safety regulations’

“I have it on very good authority….” “Your authority reminds me of that funny proverb – when in doubt, blame someone else. That’s the...

25.04.2025 20

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Cholistan and China experience

“It indicated a lack of…of….good manners” “If you are referring to the Cholistan project and the canals that Sindh, across the board now,...

24.04.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Dar’s Kabul visit

“It disproved your theory.” “What theory?” “That what GPS wants he gets.” “OK so the power that be decided that the economy could not...

23.04.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

US tariffs and Pakistan

Finance Minister Muhammad Aurangzeb has categorically stated that Pakistan has no intention of retaliating against the 29 percent tariffs imposed by...

22.04.2025 40

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Our govt has eased visas for foreigners, but there is no reciprocity

“So the visitors were placed in the jail van and….” “Visitors really! The Hungarian Foreign Minister was a visitor, you can’t define those...

20.04.2025 9

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: Nawaz can’t resist turning the page well before others have read till the last line?

“Who did not perform?” “I am not sure what you are referring to! Oh wait did you mean outside Pakistan?” “No within Pakistan.” “Well...

19.04.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: If you cook nihari you can’t expect quick results?

“I am not sure President Zardari is well enough to revisit his focus on occupation of constitutional offices as opposed to heading ministries...

18.04.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: This is the new Pakistan staffed by the old

“Shakespeare said it right: much ado about nothing.” “Well, the Gazans are being massacred and…” “Right, but there is a new paradigm in...

17.04.2025 30

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

PARTLY FACETIOUS: A James Ken doll isn’t going to sell here?

“Barbie brand recently released Le Bron James Ken doll.” “Yes I know he is the first athlete to have a Ken doll, he is a basketball player, and...

16.04.2025 10

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim

Pakistan’s economic strategy

The overarching economic strategy of the incumbent government is not quite focused on achieving macroeconomic stability, though that is certainly a...

15.04.2025 100

Business Recorder

Anjum Ibrahim