Loud Thinking

Archive for September, 2013

My replies to the Indian PM on his latest Twitter Messages after 12 Indian security personnel were reported to have been killed today in an ongoing insurgency in Indian held Kashmir.

1. @PMOIndia: “This is one more in a series of provocations and barbaric actions by the enemies of peace.” http://t.co/BJ8wKK01wt

Reply:- @nayyarahmad: @PMOIndia exactly we had the same feelings when Church was bombed in Pakistan.

2. @PMOIndia: We are firmly resolved to combat and defeat the terrorist menace that continues to receive encouragement from across the border. -PM

Reply:- @nayyarahmad: @PMOIndia Sir, pl also comment on the role of Indian consulates in Afghanistan in Swat, Balouchistan insurgencies & suicide attacks in Pak.

3. @PMOIndia: Such attacks will not deter us or succeed in derailing our efforts to find a resolution to all problems through a process of dialogue. PM

Reply:- @nayyarahmad: @PMOIndia no doubt your this statement reflects that it has come from a statesman. Fully appreciated.

Stop Talking About Yourself When You Apologize

Admitting a mistake can fall flat if you apologize the wrong way. The victim of your screw-up does not want to hear about you. Instead ask yourself: Who am I talking to, and what is he or she looking for in my apology?
A stranger or mere acquaintance wants you to offer compensation or some redeeming action. Compensation can be tangible, like paying to repair your neighbor’s fence when you accidentally back your car into it, or emotional, like being extra thoughtful.
Your colleague or friend wants empathy. When you recognize and express concern over the suffering you caused, the victim feels understood and valued, and trust is restored.
Your team wants an acknowledgement of the rules and norms you violated. Basically, you need to admit that you broke the code of behavior of your social group or organization, and that you recognize you let them down.

Adapted by HBR from “The Most Effective Ways to Make It Right When You Screw Up,” by Heidi Grant Halvorson.

“Find a place inside where there’s joy, and the joy will burn out the pain.”

— Joseph Campbell

There is a debate going on in the Pakistani cricketing circles, that should Misbah ul Haq be retained as captain of the Test and ODI teams or not?

Firstly, it should be made clear to every player that if anyone is removed from the captaincy, it does not mean the end of his playing career. In the past we have seen that when legendary Sir. Ian Botham was removed from the captaincy of the England’s team, not only there was a big spur in the performance of Ian Botham, but in the entire English team, as well.

Generally, people appreciate the batting prowess of Misbah ul Haq. However, he is also being criticised for startlingly wrong team selections, unimaginative batting order decisions, defensive field placings, wrong bowling schemes and his own very slow start of the innings, even in the ODI matches. On an over all basis, now he is being labeled as a defensive captain.

In particular, MUH’s moves in South African tour dented his reputation very badly, when he unnecessarily called players from Pakistan, even before the start of the first Test match. Moreover, his media statements also even before the start of the series, confirmed that he had surrendered the series before the first ball was was bowled. One should never be over awed by the paper strength of the opposition. Going by the analogy of MUH, the Zimbabwe should have also surrendered before the start of the series against Pakistan. And now MUH has the guts to say that he was not a defensive captain. Yes, he is in fact, not worth even a defensive captain, which was a label affixed on Zaheer Abbas, as well.

Captains are sheer brain and cricket is played in the mind, just like a chess game. But in MUH’s case, we are at a loss to know that he is totally devoid of the common sense, which he amply exhibited in South African series, when everybody knew that Hafeez was bothering their batsmen with new ball, MUH made sure, he was not given the new ball, at many such moments. The whole of Pakistan knew how much Irfan bothered the SA batsmen on their pitches, but he was not selected to play the first Test match. We can easily write the details consuming reams of papers, about the common sense decisions not taken by MUH, in selection of players and during the currency of the games, specially during the South African series, champions trophy in England, West Indian and Zimbabwe tours.

Now the question is what is expected from a captain? Firstly, it should be remembered that in all the team games, the role of a captain in the game of cricket, is of the prime importance. A cricket captain is invested as is an American president, with a fanciful suite of powers and responsibilities, more than any one man can bear (Link:- http://www.smh.com.au/sport/cricket/clarke-versus-cook-ashes-a-defining-test-for-captains-20130710-2poxm.html) A good captain can make a poor team good and a good team great (link:-http://m.wikihow.com/Captain-a-Village-Cricket-Team) Here, we remember late AH Kardar, who had to lead a pack of Pakistani players, out of which 8-9 players were the worst fielders. But then, he always used his players in such a manner, that their weaknesses were least exposed to the opponents.

Captains in cricket have to have a brain to create victories, because victories are never offered by the opponents in a plate, rather it is carved out on the chess board of the cricket field.

It is the foremost job of the captain to always keep his team players so charged up, focused and motivated that victories are snatched from the jaws of the defeat; and not that defeats are snatched from the jaws of the victory; as happened with our team, twice in the recently concluded tour of Zimbabwe.

The captain is also required to do the following:

Know what you’ll do if you win the toss. Think about the conditions, the points system and the relative strength of your team. If in doubt then go with your teams strength, if you’ve lots of good bowlers then bowl first. If you all bat then bat first. Once you’re on top, you’ll probably win.

Attack in the field. Bowlers bowl better with attacking fields. Always attack the new batsman. If a batsman hits two similar shots into the same place then put a fielder there. Always have a plan – or look like you have one. Never keep the same field for two different batsmen. Be active!

Practise catching and throwing more than any other team at the nets and before a game. Catches really do win matches. No-one means to drop a catch so encourage everyone to go for everything and praise everyone for every genuine attempt. Keen fielding teams win most of their games.

Role Allocation. Give everyone a role in the side and make them feel important, then let them get on with it. Encourage everyone to express themselves – spinners to toss it up, pacemen to bowl fast, stroke makers to hit it and stone wallers to rotate the strike without getting out. (Link:- http://m.wikihow.com/Captain-a-Village-Cricket-Team).

In view of the foregoing and keeping under consideration of the long term interests of the Pakistani cricket, which has to plan for upto June-July 2017 Test matches championships and 2015 ODI World Cup, there is no doubt that at the best we have a 50:50 chance that Misbah ul Haq will be able to continue till the above named two important events. Therefore, we have no option except to appoint Younis khan as captain (with certain factors of fitness, age, experience, class and abilities in his favour more than any other cricketer in Pakistan) to give him a fair chance to rebuild the team for the next 3-5 years. Yes MUH must be retained to play as a seasoned batsman in team, as long as he is able to deliver.

Class-And-Grace is simple elegance of movement and thought.

“In the end, only three things matter: how much you loved, how gently you lived, and how gracefully you let go of things not meant for you.”

Buddha –

Pakistani Rupee is losing its worth on almost daily basis but the silence of the entire opposition and the NATIONAL ASSEMBLY is not only DEAFENING but STRANGE as well. IT SEEMS THAT THE ENTIRE RULING ELITE HAVE GANGED UP AGAINST THE INTEREST OF THE MASSES WHO VOTED THEM TO POWER, BUT IN RETURN VOTERS ARE BEING DEPRIVED OF THEIR PURCHASING POWER.
WHAT A CALLOUSNESS AND CRUELTY WITH THE SOCIAL ANIMALS…!

India and Pakistan – Prisoners of the Past

Honourable Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif Sahab,

AoA.

The world knows very well that you are a man of peace, not just for the sake of peace, but you want to use peace, as a vehicle for eradicating ignorance, hunger, poverty and disease, which has become a fait accompli, for the millions and millions of poor, not only in Pakistan, but for the dwellers of the entire SAARC region.

In order to ensure that your message and vision is known to all and sundry, it is imperative that besides meeting the Indian PM in closed doors, for exchange of views in a typical diplomatic ambience, you should directly talk with India from the rostrum of the UNGA; and tell them absolutely clearly that:

-Let India and Pakistan decide once and for ever, to pledge not to be the prisoners of the past.

-Let both the countries decide to adopt the famous quote of L.M. Montgomery, which states that “Isn’t it nice to think that tomorrow is a new day with no mistakes in it yet?”

-If both the countries have to be friends, then that friendship must be in true sense; and we must not act and behave with each other, in a hypocritical manner.

-Also please assure the Indians that even if we wanted, we can not conquer India. At the same time, even if India wanted, it can’t pull down Pakistan, without India being destroyed, as well. So why to waste time in imaginary hate policies? Let both the nations be friends in true sense, like all the European countries.

-Let India show magnanimity as the largest country in the region; and not expect from Pakistan to stretch beyond its capacity, to match the Indian gestures of goodwill.

-Let India support Pakistan in its fight against the terrorists, by closing about a dozen consulates established along Pak-Afghan border, inside Afghanistan. This will also prove Indian intentions and desire, towards authentic peace with Pakistan.

-Let both the nations have a genuine peace. Let India remove all its strike forces from our borders, without any fear.

-Let both India and Pakistan decide immediately to withdraw troops for the Siachin area. Let both the countries take some big confidence building measures. Let India remove all non-tariff barriers against Pakistani imports in India.

-Let both the nations join hands to wage a war against poverty, hunger, disease and illiteracy.

-Let us turn this subcontinent into a bastion of peace and a heaven on earth. India and Pakistan just need a period of single decade of genuine peace, to turn around its fortunes and to emerge as the most potent economic and cultural power house of the world. The only condition is genuine and authentic peace, like the one which exists in between the EU countries.

-India and Pakistan should not be afraid of the problems, because they will remain for ever, but we have to give priority to peace over the problems. We have to increase spendings manifold in the areas of education, health and social sectors.

-Failure in promoting genuine peace between the two countries is not an option; rather both the countries can not sustain for long, under the policy of low intensity hostilities, or no war no peace situation.

Wishing you Mr. Prime Minister, best of luck in your endeavours to make this region a bastion of peace.

Kind regards.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

“I, not events, have the power to make me happy or unhappy today. I can choose which it shall be. Yesterday is dead, tomorrow hasn’t arrived yet. I have just one day, today, and I’m going to be happy in it.”

— Groucho Marx

Patience is to wait calmly for someone or something even if they are really really late.