Loud Thinking

Archive for September, 2017

It is not a rocket science to understand that for any military to perform its national duties, sound economic conditions are as important, as ammoniation for its guns.

It is also a well known documented fact that Pakistan’s repayments of extremely expensive loans, coupled with huge trade gap, yawning current account deficit, declining remittances, huge losses of the state owned enterprises like PIA, Steel Mills and Railways etc., massive corruption which has grown to such an extent that the size of Pakistan’s black economy has overtaken the size of the annual budget of the country, huge level of money laundering, surpassing the figures of $10 billion annually and depreciating Rupee value has virtually strangulated and stunted the growth and development of the country.

As such, business as usual is a sure recipe for disaster and imminent radical change, the need of the hour for Pakistan.

Somehow, no political party worth its name in Pakistan, has proved that it can solve the issues afflicting the masses of the country. It looks all of them have neither the capacity, nor the will to deliver in the true sense. May be the system in our society, was never designed to serve the teeming millions.

Under the circumstances, there are clear signs written on the wall that very soon, Pakistan may face chaotic law and order situation, resembling the turmoil of the French Revolution.

In view of the foregoing, where the statehood of Pakistan seems to be facing imminent existential crisis, it is high time that immediate corrective surgical actions, like bringing in a very lean but professional consensus government of young, qualified, renowned, reputed and honest people of less than 45 years age, be installed in the center and the provinces, with the below mentioned specific tasks, to be completed, in six months:

– Revival of economy.

– Drafting a new social contract, with special focus on the have nots, which should also encompass devising new policies for the next 100 years, on every sector like education, health, industry (civil & military), mining including mining of precious metals, shipping, air/road/river transportations, space/science and technology, IT, agriculture, justice, tourism, development of new mega cities, energy, housing, sports, service sectors, films/arts etc etc.

– Devising a workable governance plan and innovative presidential political system (which should be free from blackmailing of the elected representatives) to convert every division of the country, into a province, with 100% devolution of power and provisions of funds, to the last tier of the local bodies system.

– Develop plans to further increase the scope of CPEC projects.

– Develop mechanism to minimise corruption and money laundering.

– Prepare robust strategy to immediately bring back illegal wealth, stashed abroad by the Pakistani nationals, which is estimated to be around worth $1 trillion in cash, real state and other forms.

– Prepare plan to bring each and every economic activity, under documentation.

– Devise plans to increase productivity and competitiveness of the local industry.

– Prepare Plans for minimising taxes and duties etc.

I have no qualms in admitting that the current elder generation, has utterly failed to save Pakistan, from going bankrupt, in the every sphere of life; therefore, we must hand over the mantle to the younger generation, to come forward and try to re-build our nation, to the highest stage of the glory.

The government and politicians of Pakistan must realise that overseas Pakistanis are not just cash cows, sending billions of dollars; for their spendings as if, it was their fathers money.

Overseas Pakistanis are a very precious asset, institute and life line for Pakistan, who deserve special treatment by the nation, concerned embassies and everyone in the country.

First of all, they deserve right of vote. Secondly, they should be given special 3% PA profit on their foreign currency accounts in Pakistan, special protocol at the airports and separate counters at police stations and such like many other facilities.

They should be given special discounts at all malls and by the travel agents; with the purpose to give them a sense of security, pride and honour.

It is further suggested that during five years term of a government, seven persons (each representing four provinces, federal capital area, AJK & GB) nominated by the OP’s must be given a one year term in the cabinet as MoS; which will not only resolve lot of issues of OP’s, but will bring huge businesses, investments and improvements in balance of trade for Pakistan.

In short OP’s should be considered as prime movers of a peaceful, prosperous and strong Pakistan.

This is not cricket…Mian Muhammmad Nawaz Sharif.

Now, the PCB headed by the genius media man Mr. Najam Sethi; and its most highly paid selection committee, has devised an ingenious method to perpetuate its favouritism and nepotism policy, to include Shan Masood (son of Mr. Mansoor M. Khan member BoG of PCB & chairman audit committee of the PCB), at every cost, in the squad for Test matches vs the Sri Lankan team.

The squad usually consists of 15 members, but this time it consists of 16 members, notwithstanding the fact that Dubai is just few hours flight from Pakistan and for such a weak opponent, sending 16 members squad was a sheer waste of PCB’s valuable resources.

The nation has a right to ask the PCB chairman and its team of selectors, on what basis they dropped Sami Aslam and included Shan Masood from the West Indian tour, when during the team’s tour of England the batting average of Sami Aslam was 55 runs agains 12 runs batting average of Shan Masood.

In all fairness, this selection committee is not a fair minded committee believing in intellectual honesty; and may be thinking that people don’t know that how undeserving players are made to look like super stars, by repeatedly, repeat repeatedly, giving them opportunities to play against weak teams, like West Indies and Sri Lanka.

Moreover, inclusion of Sami Aslam in the squad for Test matches vs the Sri Lankan team, after dropping him from the squad of the Caribbean tour (please note in between Sami Aslam and Pakistani team didn’t play any Test match) proves that the selectors in the first instance, wrongly favoured Shan Masood by selecting him for the Caribbean tour and Sami Aslam was made to suffer, because he has no relative serving, in the BoG of the PCB.

Now, coming to Mr. Najam Sethi’s stance that since, he knows nothing about cricket, he wants to tell the selection committee to not even put the papers to him for his final approval of the team.

This stance doesn’t absolve Mr. Najam Sethi of his constitutional responsibilities, where the chairman PCB must approve the team selected by committee of selectors.

Moreover, this also proves that Mr. Najam Sethi should be doing anything but, heading the PCB.

Mian Muhammad Nawaz Sharif, salute to you for handing over the PCB to Mr. Najam Sethi, blatantly violating the cardinal rule of putting the right man, at the right job.

Mr. Ex. Prime Minister of Pakistan for three times, if you can’t do the right appointment in an extremely important national organisation (where the chairman himself admitted in a TV interview that he knew nothing about cricket), how you are again asking to be made the PM of the country, for the fourth time?

Pakistan team: Sarfraz Ahmed (c), Azhar Ali, Shan Masood, Sami Aslam, Babar Azam, Asad Shafiq, Haris Sohail, Usman Salahuddin, Yasir Shah, Mohammad Asghar, Bilal Asif, Mir Hamza, Mohammad Amir, Hasan Ali, Mohammad Abbas, Wahab Riaz

Dear Mr. Prime Minister,

AoA.

Sir,

These days it is widely speculated that soon you will be appointing a new finance minister.

In this regard, obviously you will be interviewing few deserving persons, for selecting the best candidate, for the post of finance minister of Pakistan.

I take this opportunity to suggest you to appoint such a person, for this very important and crucial job, who will give you the best plan, to do ONLY the following two jobs for Pakistan in the SHORTEST POSSIBLE TIME,  under your cabinet:

– How to make Pakistan free of entire foreign debt?

– How to bring back wealth belonging to Pakistan, stashed illegally, in the foreign countries?

As, it must be in your knowledge that the above two issues were the main points, in the PMLN’s election manifesto promises with the nation, during the election campaign of general elections 2013; about which your party has miserably failed up-till now, but will be answerable for these promises to its voters, during the next general elections.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad