The buzz
The buzz in Isloo is that the standoff between the JIT and the Qatari prince continues, not only because His Highness won’t come to Doha’s Pakistan Embassy to bear witness but also because he wants to bring his lawyer and accountant to the meeting. The JIT is saying “no” to the latter – and His Highness says that like all people of wealth, he does not go to meetings regarding his investments without his money managers.
Damned if she did …
For those who saw the swagger of the well-groomed Indian cricket team on the grounds of The Oval that historic day last month, the contrast with Pakistan’s boys couldn’t have been greater. The Indians were muscly, bursting with well-being, hair gelled back, cheered on by their compatriots overflowing in the stadium and by India’s wealthy in their own VIP boxes, champagne at the ready. Each Pakistani was “a slip of a boy” as they say, with not an extra ounce or muscle, many of them playing in an international tournament for the first time, unconscious of the moment and totally unspoilt. The Pakistanis in the stadium were far outnumbered by the Indians – and Pakistan’s wealthy had not reposed enough confidence in their team to buy out the VIP boxes. Sadly, cricketer Shoaib Malik’s Indian tennis star wife Sania Mirza was also in London, but had thought the better of going to The Oval to see her husband play. As an Indian, she would have been damned if she’d cheered him, and damned by Pakistan if she’d cheered India. How sad!
Close to the action
Well-groomed reminds us, we hear The Great Khan has had another discreet facelift and is preparing for the day The Man of Steel meets his denouement via the courts. We hear he has cancelled his July holiday plans with his sons and wants to stay close to the action in Isloo.