It was one of these women minders who warned me that I would be on the podium for the President’s keynote speech. The message was unstated but clear—could I please dress accordingly. But how many people would pack a tie for a trip to the Maldives? Happily, Javed Jabbar, twice Pakistan’s information minister and another conference participant, is a wiser man than me. With minutes to spare, he lent me a splendid sky blue tie. It may have clashed with my salmon pink shirt. But at least I was not naked in the conference chamber.