Charm Diplomacy

With its global image in a freefall since the eventful night in Abbottabad on 2nd May, Pakistan has been pushed on the backfoot and dodging bouncers as any tailender batsman would on a juicy Wanderers track. It seemed as if a tsunami of backlash was washing away whatever smokescreen they had conjured up to potray themselevs as a State victimised by terrorism and rather than they being the hotbed of terror.

But their arguments were not cutting ice with most of the nations apart from China, who’s support they are clutching to as if their sole existence depends on “the Red Dragon”. With the US adopting a less of carrot and more of stick policy, something very drastic needed to be done. And it was done. A masterstroke to leave most of the “Foreign Minister” counterparts drooling unless you happen to be a female.

So, the Islamic Republic of Pakistan unleashed its “Charm Diplomacy” by unveiling Ms. Hina Rabbani Khar as the Minister of Foreign Affairs. A beauty with brains and a masters in hospitality management is sure to leave most of her counterparts tongue tied. ”Make love not war”…that’s her calling card as she goes around the world to conquer the antagonist opinion about Pakistan with her charm.

It would be hard for global leaders to listen to what she has to say when their eyes are busy with something else (as is evident in the pic below). And they won’t be complaining that’s for sure. With the Obama’s, Sarkozy’s & Berlusconi’s around they would definitely turn a blind eye towards the misadventures of Pakistan while eyeing “the best thing Pakistan has ever gifted to the world”.

So, what do we have to counter Pakistan’s biggest weapon till date…a 79 yr old Mr. SMK??? Sadly, we don’t stand a chance in this “Charm Diplomacy” war…

Parenthood

I would like to dedicate this post to Sunny who today became a dad.

Parenthood is a gift. The first time you hear that you are about to become one, you may either react with a loud “Yipeee” or mutter under your breadth “#%*$” (did the wife forget her pills or there was a tear in the  ”rubber”). Anyways, after the initial feeling of euphoria or shock has passed over it’s time to set into motion the different tasks associated with the impeding arrival of the “new family member“…even though it may be a good 60 weeks away.

The “breaking news” is soon relayed to the immediate family members on both sides with instructions not to relay to any other relatives. The wife now holds the attention with hospital visits, weekly check ups, high food value diet et al. Sometimes after 3 months the “breaking news” is finally made “breaking news“ to the rest of the family tree on both sides as well as the rest of the world. 

As the D Day approaches wife and husband and the entire family tree wrangles on what should be the new one be named? What should be his nickname and stuff? With every kick the to-be-mother experiences, there occurs passionate debates regarding if the baby is perfecting his free-kicks or her ballet steps. Personally we were very open about it being a girl or a boy. I personally was looking forward to have a girl as watching F1 races and EPL on Sundays together would have been a more challenging for me with a daughter than watching it with a son. I was also scared shit of the fact that what if the son wasn’t as sports crazy as I am???

As far as names was concerned we would visit different websites and shortlist names for baby boys and girls. It was great fun. Funnily enough we had made up our minds on what to name out “daughter” but were still clueless about what to call our “son”. I wanted to name my daughter ”Schumi” (after “you know who”)…had it not been for one of her “to be aunts” being called the same…so I junked that name and this even the wife does not know until she reads this post.

Then, finally the D – day comes in the chosen hospital (yeah that too matters) and the chosen way (C-Sec or natural birth…with the doctors and parents being invovled in it). The endless wait when you know it’s around the corner, everything becomes surreal, you walk about in a trance counting tiles on the floor or doing endless laps of the imaginary F1 circuit (read…hospital corridor) and then comes the moment when time stops…2.45 PM by my watch (On 01.02.2010…a numerical palindrome if there exists one) when a tiny little cry pierces your heart…

Gosh!!! “I’m a dad”….after a round of congratulations amongst all near and dear ones present the husband is soon informed about the condition of the mom and the baby. No amount of cajoling or threats work on the nurse and the gender of the child is still a mystery untill the “little one” is brought all wrapped in a towel and unvieled finally to settle the matter for once and all.

“It’s a son!!!”…damn he better know how to kick a ball.

Pictures are clicked to capture the 1st look to be shared with rest of the world. And then the phones become busy. Almost everyone whose name exists in the phone book is informed through call or SMS.

La Celeste – The emerging soccer superpower

Every 4 years when the Soccer World Cup takes place there always emerges a list of “favourites” and the “dark horses” or the “under dogs”. Latin America usually boasts of two powerhouses called Argentina and Brazil with the rest of the participants which may range from Paraguay, Bolivia, Uruguay who usually are considered to be the “also rans”.

The last world cup, we witnessed a revolution of some sorts with the Uruguyan football team “La Celeste” going beyond what Brazil and Argentina could achieve with all the glitz and glamour associated with them.

Some may say that it was after all a flash in the pan which takes place only once a century (in fact they are better than that with twice being Champions & thrice being placed 4th) and the football world cup is not even celebrating its centennial year until 2030.

So, it reallty doesn’t surprise me that they carried on with their 2010 World Cup winning form to win the latest edition of Copa America in Argentina where Brazil and Argentina could not even make it to the last 4. That says a lot…with all the focus on Brazilian Neymar & the mesmerizing Messi from Argentina…it was a team devoid of any superstars (Diego Forlan and Luis Suarez may be stars in their own rights) that eventually lifted the Copa America for a record 15 times.

For Forlan, this triumph is even more sweeter given the fact that he has carried forward the family legacy with his grand dad and father both having being past winners…

So, if Uruguay manages to qualify for the 2014 edition of the World Cup, it would be worthwhile to see if the soccer world still considers “La Celeste” to be a “dark horse” or a “favourite”???

If latter, it would mark a new chapter in the history of “La Celeste”.