This religious fanatic is now openly justifying his nickname of Taliban Khan to instigate anti-American hysteria among his masses of educated illiterate cult followers that could bring Pakistan to the brink of civil war. India is laughing all the way to the bank because Modi could have spent $5billion and not turn the urban population of Pakistan against his Pretorian generals in the Rawalpindi GHQ as effectively as Imran Khan has now done in his lust to regain power.

PM Shahbaz Sheriff leads a fragile coalition but has a well-deserved track record of successful governance in Punjab and maintains excellent relations with both the military elite and Uncle Sugar. Best of all, he is a pragmatic administrator and not a narcissistic populist who has shamelessly exploited Islam in his quest for the power he wielded on the dubious advice of his djinn-obsessed third wife Pinky Pirni. Too bad the Pirni's djinn could not prevent the Pakistani rupee from tanking from 152 to the US dollar last summer to 187 now.

I desperately hope my brilliant Wharton friend Dr. Miftah Ismail can prevent the derailment of Pakistan's IMF adjustment program or a sovereign debt default, hyperinflation and economic meltdown is inevitable. After Imran's ruinous pro-Taliban Afghan policy, the US has no real interest in broader relations with Islamabad and has bet its strategic chips on BJP-run India. Counter terrorism policies can be managed with the Army as the civilian PM is irrelevant on national security issues. Without an IMF program, Pakistan cannot hope for new loans from Saudi Arabia, UAE, the EU or the ADB.

Since Abraaj Capital stole money from the World Bank and Bill Gates to fund Imran Khan's PTI and his lavish lifestyle, it is entirely possible that he will have to repay hundreds of millions of dollars in stolen funds back to the US. Pakistan's economy definitely needs some friendly, cuddly djinns in the White House, the IMF, Langley and Foggy Bottom to prevent its parabolic descent into financial ruin. (The Arabian Post — IPA Service)