The government of flood-ravaged Pakistan today gratefully accepted a large donation of aid from neighbouring, one-time enemy India.
The aid, consisting of 500 chapattis, arrived in a convoy of 1 scooter, ridden hard and fast from capital New Delhi, across the border and into the gates of Islamabad, which had been shut last week due to fear of Muslim extremists. An earlier aid delivery had been turned back the previous day due to Friday prayers.
Pakistan's Interior Minister said, "Gee, thanks, this should feed at least 1,000 people if we cut each chapatti in two and add some ghee."
Earlier, there had been speculation that Pakistan might reject the food aid from India, with whom it had fought several unsuccessful wars. However, the government there was under increasing pressure to find foreign donors to match the vast aid provided by militant organisations, which has proved a source of embarrassment.
The people of India and Pakistan are basically the same, except that Indians are mainly Hindu whereas Pakistanis are mainly Muslim. Nevertheless, their religious and ideological differences have separated them for decades. In the most recent war between the two nations, Pakistan invaded the region of Kargil in the Indian state of Kashmir and received a severe beating from the Indian army. The government of Pakistan later denied the invasion, claiming that "some bad guys nabbed our brave soldiers' uniforms while they were asleep, put them on and attacked India, so, as you see, we are completely innocent."
The Indian Foreign Minister promised to send more food aid, just as soon as his wife gets home from the shops with some more dough.
