Monday, September 29, 2008

Pakistan always good for a laugh!

V. sent me this NDTV news-item
Fatwa against Zardari for 'flirting' with Palin
NDTV Correspondent
Monday, September 29, 2008, (Islamabad)
Pakistan President Asif Ali Zardari seems to be heading towards fresh trouble as the prayer leader of the Lal Masjid in the heart of Islamabad has issued a fatwa against him.

Maulana Abdul Ghafar, the prayer leader, seems to be irked by Zardari's "you're gorgeous" compliment to US vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin during a meeting.

When Zardari was asked to keep shaking hands with Palin for the cameras, he said, "If he's (the aide) insisting, I might hug you."

He said the act was un-Islamic and unbecoming of a head of state of a Muslim country.

Maulana also said that Zardari shamed the entire Pakistani by publicly making indecent gestures towards Palin in Washington last Thursday.


There is also a story there of how Shaukat Aziz unsuccessfully tried to seduce Condoleeza Rice. She failed to succumb to his fabled (mythical?) two-minutes spiel.