Loud Thinking

Archive for August, 2014

I suggest the following statement to be adopted as a motto for the bureaucracy of Pakistan…!

“Recall the face of the poorest and the weakest man whom you may have seen and ask yourself if the step you contemplate is going to be of any use to him.”

“I am not an intellectual. An intellectual is someone who looks at a sausage and thinks of Picasso, whereas I just say ‘pass the mustard’.”

— Sebastian Horsley

Sethi and Co lobby for Arif Abbasi as next PCB chairman

By Mohammad Yaqoob
Published by Dawn about 9 hours ago

LAHORE: While Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has failed to follow the orders of the Supreme Court to appoint an ad hoc chairman at the Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) within seven days and hold the elections for the top slot, former chairman Najam Sethi and his punters have started lobbying for Arif Ali Khan Abbasi as the new chairman of the Board.

On July 21 the double-bench of the Supreme Court, while disposing of different cases of the PCB, had ordered the prime minister as patron of the PCB to appoint an ad hoc chairman and an election commissioner within seven days to hold fresh elections inside 30 days. However, no announcement to the effect has been made by the premier so far.

Meanwhile, sources told Dawn that Sethi has put his weight behind ex-PCB chief Arif Abbasi and also met him in Karachi to offer him his support as the next chairman of the cricket board. Since Sethi is quite close to the PM, his recommendation for the next PCB chairman will carry a lot of weight.

The sources say that Sethi is quite keen to have such a person as the next PCB chairman who could endorse his policies and uphold the many decisions taken during his tenure. Sources further said Arif is most likely to accept all terms and conditions put forward by Sethi in order to get elected as the new chairman.

It may be mentioned that while Sethi has quit the PCB chairman’s post on July 21, he will continue to act as a member of the powerful Governing Board for the next three years.

The sources also said that former chairman Zaka Ashraf, who has been Sethi’s main rival during the tug-of-war over the chairman’s seat, will also not raise any objections to Arif’s appointment since he had himself appointed the Karachi-based bureaucrat as cricket consultant after he (Zaka) was restored as PCB chairman following a decision by the Islamabad High Court.

The sources said even the incumbent chief selector and manager Moin Khan and head coach Waqar Younis are also in the good books of Arif and hence no change is likely in the team management as well if Arif takes over as the next PCB chief.

New Indian army chief issues warning to Pakistan on first day

Immediately after taking over, the threat hurled against Pakistan, by the new Indian army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, is quite understandable; considering that he is under severe inferiority complex and has to prove himself, worthy of the Indian army chief’s position.

In 2012, when the present BJP elected MP General VK Singh was the Army Chief, then Suhag was heading the Eastern Command in Dimapur, Nagaland. Singh had imposed the Discipline and Vigilance (DV) ban against Suhag for an alleged botched up military intelligence operation by a unit under him in Jorhat, Assam. General VK Singh, was also against Suhag’s appointment as the next Army Chief.

However, if this gentleman is really worth his salt, he should think and act about China, which every second month, takes over some Indian territory and establishes its own camps, rubbing the nose and prestige of the so called Indian military might, to the dust.

As far as Pakistan is concerned, it knows very well how to handle the Indians in the battlefield. Hope General DS Suhag remembers how Pakistan snatched Gilgit, Skurdu and a large chunk of Kashmir, from the clutches of the Indian army, during the early days of its inception.

One wished General DS Suhag had not proved within minutes of his promotion, his former boss General VK Singh right, who never found this son of a retired Subedaar (foot soldier), fit to head the Indian Army.

Also, never ever in the world history, the famous Peter Principle that “in a hierarchy every employee tends to rise to their level of incompetence” was proved correct, by any army general, after his promotion, so soon.

And to the rest of the Indian army personnel, we can only extend our heartfelt sympathies..!

“Set your life on fire. Seek those who fan your flames.”

—Jalal ad-Din Rumi (1207-1273)
Persian Poet, Mystic

“Through humor, you can soften some of the worst blows that life delivers. And once you find laughter, no matter how painful your situation might be, you can survive it.”

— Bill Cosby

Make Your Employees Feel Powerful

Research has shown that helping employees feel more powerful can improve productivity, performance, and job satisfaction. Delegate important tasks, communicate frequently, and encourage them to share their views on important issues. You don’t have to elevate every staff member to a leadership position, but you can offer choices that lead to greater autonomy. Giving them some choice, in the way they do their work or the projects they work on, can make a big difference — no title required. People crave a sense of control over their situation. Giving it to them will help you develop your direct reports into independent thinkers who are invested in moving the organization forward.

Adapted by HBR from ” Make Your Team Feel Powerful” by Harrison Monarth.

In my opinion, the increasing incidences of thyroid disease in house hold Pakistani ladies, is due to the sadist nature coupled with highly depressing stories of TV dramas.

The PEMRA and health authorities must immediately act, to Stem this rot in our TV media, before it is too late.

@nayyarahmad: As per the ethics, standards and past history, the Noble Peace Committee must be seriously considering, awardi… http://t.co/5wzuUoQ5up

As per the ethics, standards and past history, the Noble Peace Committee must be seriously considering, awarding the year 2014 Noble Peace Prize, to the butcher of kids, women and men of Gaza, Israeli Prime Minister, Benjamin Netanyahu.