Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘Corruption’ Category

If the Indian numbers of receiving $70 billion remittances (after including $4.9 billion remittances from Pakistan) in the year 2015 were not a lie, then either both the World Bank and State Bank of Pakistan are lying or it is a fact that a massive amount of $4.9 billion in 2015 and $4.7 billion in 2014 = $9.6 billion in two years moved from Pakistan to India purely on account of REMITTANCES and not on trade or any other account.

SHABASH to NAB for grabbing the bull by its horns.

@WorldBank must first say that #India was lying that it got $70 billion #remittances in 2015 which included $4.9 billion from #Pakistan only then WB’s denial can b accepted‬.

‪World Bank denies reports that #Nawaz #Sharif #laundered $4.9 billion to India http://toi.in/zSl4Cb/a24gj via @timesofindia

Pakistan remitted a total of $9.6 billion in 2014 & 2015 to India:

Pakistan 4th largest source of remittances to India..!

Link:- http://wap.business-standard.com/article/current-affairs/pakistan-4th-largest-source-of-remittances-to-india-115122400035_1.html

$4.7b remitted to India from Pakistan in 2014 & $4.9 billion in 2015 total = $9.6 billion: report

https:/www.google.com.pk/amp/s/www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2015/10/08/4-7b-remitted-to-india-from-pakistan-in-2014-alone-report/amp/

A note originally written on 19 March, 2017.

Points to ponder..!

1. Should the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) be converted into a full fledged provincial unit (already it has a Hight Court, IG etc.) with MPA’s, CM and a governor?
2. After the current population census should the constituencies be reduced for better public service by bringing MNA to MPA level and MPA’s voters size reduced to half the current size?
3. Should the Senators be elected with direct public votes to avoid the instances of blatant corruption?
4. Since, everyone admits that the current system has 100% failed to deliver specially in the fields of justice, health and education; has the time come for converting all the divisions of the country into small provinces and reverting to presidential form of government?

5. Why not to create a reserved quota of 10 seats in all Provincial/National assemblies and Senate (5 men and 5 ladies) for only Pakistani nationality holder expatriate Pakistanis, where total expatriate voters are estimated to be almost 90 lacs?

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

PAKISTAN has accumulated expensive loans, a huge trade gap and a big current account deficit, declining remittances and state-owned enterprises are incurring losses of over $ 5 billion per annum. There is massive corruption in society, so much so that the size of the black economy has overtaken the country’s annual budget, money laundering is in excess of $10 billion annually; and a steeply depreciating rupee.

This is a sure recipe for disaster. Thus a radical change is the need of the hour.

Our political parties have shown no resolve to address the issues afflicting the country. It seems they neither have the capacity nor the will to deliver.

Perhaps, the system was never designed to serve the people. In view of the foregoing, it is the most appropriate time for a surgical corrective action.

We need a consensus government of young, qualified and honest people, who are less than 45 years of age at the Centre and the provinces to achieve the following six tasks in short and medium-term period.

1) Reviving the economy of Pakistan.

2) Draft a new social contract for every sector with special focus on the have-nots.

3) Devise a governance plan, which should be free from the blackmailing of the mafias, lobbies and the pressure groups.

4) Further enhance the scope of CPEC projects.

5) Develop mechanism to stop corruption and money laundering.

6) Plan up a robust strategy to bring back the wealth stashed abroad by Pakistanis.

To ensure that the country stays on the right track, every economic activity must be documented while taxes and duties should be reduced to bare minimum not exceeding 10% in any case.

I am in sixties, and have no qualms in admitting that our generation has failed Pakistan. Now it is high time, we must hand over the mantle to those who are qualified, energetic, capable and less than 45 years old.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
Dawn 24 October 2017

Post Script:

The cardinal rule to build a sustainable economy is to live within the means; for which austerity is the secret of success.

In Pakistan, we can easily control our expenses, if the following statement is adopted as a motto/mission; and implemented as an official policy, and is also displayed in the offices of the civil and military bureaucracy, just below the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah Sahab:

“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.”

– Mystery of PSL
– Indian Connection
– Real Reasons of Not Allowing Audit of PSL 1 & 2

Dear Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi

AoA.

Sir,

After NAB ordered inquiry into the alleged corruption in Pakistan Cricket Board and pathetic performance of our team in NZ (in the 3rd ODI vs NZ team, our team also created lowest score record, in first 10 overs in an ODI match by just scoring shameful 9 runs for 3 wickets in the first ten overs), you may ask Mr. Najam Sethi to step down immediately from the post of the PCB chairman, which has been virtually turned into a Pathetic Cricket Board; and you as PM Pakistan, can not be a silent spectator, being the patron of a Pathetic Cricket Board, facing NAB inquiry for corruption.

Here, you are also reminded that yesterday, in the U19 ODI World match, Pakistani U19 cricket team lost the match against Afghanistan; and incidentally this was the third repeat third, consecutive defeat of our U19 team against the Afghan U19 team, just in a short period of the last few weeks.

Similarly, our ladies team’s performance is going from bad to worse and Mr. Najam Sethi is only busy sending our players in the lap of the Indians infested T10 League, not raising any objections in the ICC to the Indian plan of making BCCI as
Big-1. And despite such a huge and highly anti-Pakistan’s interest, favours to the Indians, by Mr. Najam Sethi, what we got from the Indians was that they refused to send to Pakistan, their blind cricketers team to play the ongoing World Cup matches in Pakistan; and on top of that Mr. Najam Sethi allowed last week our blind cricketers team to play against the Indian team, the World Cup match, in the UAE.

Under the circumstances, you may have the following choices.

One, allow Mr. Najam Sethi to merge the PCB with the Indian cricket board (BCCI) and finish this issue of why and for what official and personal reasons/gains, Mr. Najam Sethi is constantly humiliating Pakistan, by supporting out of the way [also remember Mr. Najam Sethi’s all out full support to the Indians, in the year 2014 Big-3 fiasco, when, even Indian notables were raising their voices, against this Indian hegemonist plan in the ICC].

However, most alarming thing happened recently. At the PCB’s last BOG meeting, it was suggested that Quaid-e-Azam Trophy should be discontinued as it has been a commercial loss in recent years. This is perhaps the most ridiculous idea ever proposed. Quaid-e-Azam trophy is country’s premier first class tournament since 1947. And everyone with a little knowledge of cricket knows that first class cricket is the Prime rather, the only nursery to prepare and assess players for the Test Cricket, which in turn is easily the most important format of international cricket. Even the mere mention of such an idea, is a reason big enough, to dismiss the entire BOG en-bloc.

Two, the Prime Minister and the Patron in Chief of the PCB may immediately disband the entire BOG of the PCB and appoint an ad-hoc committee comprising of competent, well reputed, educated and world renowned retired Pakistani cricketers and other notables of the country.(Don’t forget that this is such a BOG which also has the federal secretary of ministry of IPC) as its member, but no one repeat no one, raised any questions in the board meetings about:

~ Mr. Najam Sethi’s constant uncalled-for support to India.

~ Mr. Najam Sethi NOT allowing the auditors to SEPARATELY audit the PSL-1 and PSL-2 accounts, despite Mr. Najam Sethi telling the nation on media many times that PSL-1 accounts have been audited and PSL-2 accounts are under audit. What has actually happened is that only PCB’s accounts have been audited, but then why blatantly mislead the nation on media that PSL-1 accounts have been audited and PSL-2’s audit, about to be completed, in January 2018.

If Mr. Najam Sethi now comes out with an idea that there was no need for a separate PSL accounts, because PSL was not a separate company of the PCB, but it was just another department of the board, then he must answer the following questions:

1. Why many times over the TV and in his press talks, Mr. Najam Sethi is on record having said that PSL-1 accounts have been audited and approved by the BOG; and even in his very last press talk after the BOG meeting, he said that PSL-1 audit was done and PSL-2 audit will be completed in January 2018?

2. If PSL was the department of the PCB why Mr. Najam Sethi did not designate himself as Director PSL, instead of the chairman PSL, as per practice of the nomenclature of the department heads, of the PCB?

3. Now when Mr. Najam Sethi is the chairman of the PCB, why no one else has been designated as the HoD of the PSL?

4. Why separately and unlawfully very high amounts of salaries were paid to those employees of the PCB, who were looking after the PSL’s work? Now, who will pay back these unlawful salary disbursements to the PCB, Mr. Najam Sethi the then chairman PSL, CFO, all the members of the audit committee or all the members of the BOG, who raised no questions on these unlawful payments?

5. COO of the PCB is COO of the entire board operations, then why the COO was also not paid the PSL salary allowance? Does it not mean that PSL was not under the ambit of the COO, which proves, it was not just another department of the PCB?

6. Mr. Najam Sethi seems to have violated the ethics and norms of the corporate good governance practices by keeping himself as a member of the Audit committee of the PCB, which resulted in the audit committee of the PCB not raising any objections for not conducting a separate audit of the PCB.

The major financial impacts of not getting done a separate audit of the PSL-1 are as following:

1. Mr. Najam Sethi got approved the accounts of PCB’s audit, from the entire members of the BOG, despite the following huge financial irregularities:

a) PSL paid Rs.22 Crore to the five franchises:

– Without any binding clause in the franchise agreement, which means this payment was not required/unlawful, as per PCB/PSL’s agreement, with the five franchises.

– Strangely repeat strangely, no audit of the five franchises was conducted by the PCB to verify the accounts of the franchises for payment of Rs.22 crore on this account of “ losses compensation”.

b). An amount of about Rs.40 crore was paid to the franchises on account of a one sided and strange clause in the franchise agreement, which stated that franchises will be paid out of the Pool Money, a minimum of 80% income under pool money.

Nowhere, in any agreement, minimum limit of payment is mentioned. And the upper or maximum limit of payment was deliberately not mentioned in the franchise agreement, which caused huge and strange loss to the PCB.

Accordingly, this clause resulted in unprecedentedly reduced payment to the PCB, on account of pool money income, notwithstanding the fact that initially, the PSL got all the time, resources and money from the PCB.

This huge payment of pool money (minimum 80% maximum no limit) to the five franchises was also highly disproportionate to the seed money’s big share of the PCB, which it contributed at the time of establishment of PSL secretariat.

c). Beyond agreement Payment of Rs.5 crore to the five franchises on account of Support fund.
d). If audit of the PSL-1 was done separately from the PCB, this fact would have also come to the light that PSL-1 budgeted expenditure was about Rs.77 crore, but actual expenditure went to almost Rs.90 crore. Again no vouchers verified, no tangible and cogent reasons were provided with documentary proof of basis of originally budgeting the expenditure and verifiable documentary evidences, of reasons of excess actual expenditure of crores of Rupees.

Sir, you may appoint any deserving person as new chairman PCB; with the following specific tasks:

~To revamp/turn around PCB, as a world class organisation within 60 days.

~ To arrange an audit of the PSL-1 and PSL-2 from the office of the Auditor General of Pakistan and submit reports within 45 days.

The PM may in order to meet the demands of the justice issue necessary orders to the Interior Ministry to put the names of the chairman PCB, all members of the PCB’s BOG (since 2014 onwards), all the regular and contractual employees and consultants on ECL with immediate effect; and till the clearance of the organisations, conducting inquiry/investigations/audit of the PCB.

Sir, you may in the meantime also form a very high level JIT of the premier intelligence agencies of Pakistan {don’t forget when Ch. Nisar as Interior Minister directed the FIA to immediately investigate the PSL-2 spot fixing scandal, because it caused national defamation and tarnished the image of Pakistan, Mr. Najam Sethi opposed it tooth and nail and the FIA was not allowed to investigate the PSL-2 spot fixing scandal, although Mr. Najam Sethi openly stated in media that he had CONCRETE prior information about the spot fixing but still he allowed it to go ahead} to investigate all recent (2014 – 2018) match/spot fixing charges, levelled even against the chairman PCB, to rid the country of this cancerous menace, once and for ever.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Qarz ki peetay thay mai aur samajhtey thay key haan
rang laavegi hamaari faaqa masti aik din

It seems that our economy is a fit case for putting it under ICU, considering that usable foreign currency reserves available with all commercial banks have slid to a mere $200 million.

Moreover, it has been reported that the net foreign currency reserves of the central bank would stand close to $4.5 billion even after including $2.5 billion that Pakistan borrowed last month from international debt markets; and that the $5.8 billion amount has to be excluded from the SBP’s gross official reserves of $15.1 billion, which will bring down the reserves to $9.3 billion. Further, another $4.8 billion have to be excluded on account of repayment of external debt in the coming months.

The gravity of the economic situation of the country can be further gauged with the fact that while the GDP was $304 billion our total domestic and international debt was +$250 billion which was + 82% against 60% limit set out in the Fiscal Responsibility and Debt Limitation (FRDL) Act of 2005 for the debt reduction path.

Recently, the International Monetary Fund (IMF) has asked Pakistan to adopt a new legal framework for public finance management, aimed at stopping the country from borrowing recklessly and ensuring strict oversight of parliament on unchecked expenditure, which in other words means adopting strict austerity measures.

Moreover, a report of the finance ministry has confirmed that by June this year seven out of nine debt sustainability indicators have weakened.

Our Ministry of Finance is culprit of misusing another avenue – the supplementary budget, which is issued during the course of the fiscal year, without prior approval of the parliament.

The finance ministry has (mis) used this avenue to buy luxury cars, pay subsidies to sugar barons and finance the expenditures that it deliberately camouflaged, at the time of the new budget’s approval, to hide the actual budget deficit.

In this regard, the issue of massive corruption coupled with increasing cost of living has forced even the middle class people, to take out their children from good private schools to average schools; and increasing incidents are being reported about suicides, due to the economic hardships and poor mothers giving birth on roads and floors of the hospitals.

To further add to the problems of the poorest of the poor population of about 14 crore Pakistanis, who are barely alive or living with daily income of maximum 2 dollars per day, the rulers have decided to further increase debt burden of the country; by agreeing on 8 December, 2017 with the IMF, to depreciate Rupee, which has the following two pronged adverse affects on the poor people:

Firstly, the cost of almost 100% items suddenly increases and secondly, every single Rupee devaluation, increases our total loan, by a whopping $2.5 billion.

Moreover, recently the government further increased the debt burden with an amount of $2.5 billion by floating bonds in the international market with extremely high interest rates (which discreetly includes waiving a dozen taxes to make deals more attractive for investors).

Under the foregoing circumstances, in order to avoid the dreaded melt down of economy, we will have to invent homegrown solutions to revive our economy, which in fact, is now a matter of survival of our nationhood.

Every sane person in Pakistan knew well in advance that Mr. Ishaq Dar will ultimately sink the country economically; and ditch it after recklessly borrowing loans, with interest rates as high as 8.25%, which till date, stands as a world record, for highest interest rate.
The solution for Pakistan’s economic malaise can not and never be found in getting loans to repay the loans and to build false foreign exchange reserves with loans.
The cardinal rule to build a sustainable economy is to live within the means; for which austerity is the secret of success.
In Pakistan, we can easily control our expenses, if the following statement is adopted as a motto/mission; and implemented as an official policy, and is also displayed in the offices of the civil and military bureaucracy, just below the portrait of Quaid-e-Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah Sahab:
“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.”
Moreover, the following austerity measures may be adopted on emergency basis till our budget deficit is overcome and total government debt is repaid:
1. No officially paid foreign treatment for any government official or public representative be allowed without exception.
2. No government official or public representative be allowed air travel (domestic & foreign) in business/first class, on official expense.
3. No foreign tours for government officials and public representatives on official expense, without the permission/clearance of the chairman NAB. In this regard, for the foreign visits of President, Prime Minister and CM’s, no more than two persons shall accompany them on official expense.
4. All public sector organisations/corporations/
companies and sports organisations falling under the purview of the federal and provincial governments of Pakistan, must be headed by a private sector person, who should be suitably qualified, experienced and duly recommended by the Federation of Pakistan Chambers of Commerce and Industry/PEC/PMDC and other such relevant apex bodies. Moreover, all such organisations must be bound to send their internal, external and special audit reports to the Chairman NAB on regular basis.
5. Immediate issuance of orders for 50% reduction in protocol expenses (specially the motorcade) of all VVIP and other government and public servants and representatives.
6. No subsidised food and other items be allowed to be served, in the canteens/restaurants/kitchens of the President/PM houses/offices, Senate, National and Provincial assemblies.
7. Complete bar/ban on any development allocation to the parliamentarians.
8. Total ban on announcements of funds/packages for development schemes by the President/PM, CM’s and anyone for any area, community, scheme, organisation, body or NGO. All such decisions should be mentioned in an organised manner in the annual budget.
9. No announcements by any government functionary of rewards for players/board employees of sports board/body/Federation etc from the national exchequer, as was recently done in July last, to the cricket players and employees of the PCB, after the victory in the Champions Trophy, when besides players, board employees were also given crores of Rupees from the national exchequer of the country, which is obtaining loans to repay its debt.
10. Strict moratorium on purchase of news cars/vehicles by any government department or organisation, before 10 years use of the old car.
11. Complete ban on official entertainment (Breakfast, Hi-Tea, Lunch or dinner) except one dish serving for any local and foreign guests.
12. No payment (in any official legal case of government or its allied departments/organisations) to any lawyer on government expense over Rs.1 million. Beyond this amount payment approval must be obtained from the chairman NAB.
13. Only one premises should be given the status of President House, Prime Minister House, Governor House and the Chief Minister House.
Besides the above austerity measures, the following steps are also suggested to rejig the national economy on a fast track mode.
1. Request to all foreign donors for a 10 years moratorium, on all debt repayments by Pakistan, which is a frontline state of the world’s war on terror (WOT). Here, don’t forget that the world powers have totally written off loans of many countries, for much less cooperation than Pakistan, which is practically fighting their war, for more than a decade and a half.

2. 20% per annum reduction in all non-developmental government expenditures, plus total freeze in all perks paid from the national exchequer, involving foreign currency.

3. Maximum tax rate on each and every type of income in Pakistan should be fixed at 10%. This will not only bring huge revenues to the government, but will also discourage the tax evasion tendencies.
The size of our undocumented economy is almost equal to the yearly budget of Pakistan.
The best way to minimise black money is not the launching of amnesty schemes, because the black money keeps flourishing after taking advantage of such facilities. If we really want to deal with the menace of undocumented economy on a permanent basis, the ideal way is to either eliminate taxes or reduce the rates of taxes to a minimum level i.e., not more than 10%. This low level of tax rate will not only spur an economic boom, but will also automatically encourage people towards paying the taxes; rather than giving bribes to the government officials to save higher payments of taxes.

4. Impart training on war footings, of various modern skills to the country’s huge unskilled manpower, for increasing the industrial and agricultural productivity, competitiveness, value addition & exports.

5. Special support and incentives for developing world class facilities for enhancing income from tourism sector, which should encompass religious, medical, educational, hunting, entertainment and traditional tourism, specially keeping in view how rapidly Dubai has become a world tourist destination, by juxtaposing technology with innovative ideas. In technology and innovation Pakistan will have to be one step ahead of Dubai and Singapore.

6. Set a target for 20% per annum increase in foreign remittances, by offering innovative incentives to expatriate Pakistanis, which should even attract foreigners to park their money in Pakistan.

7. Outsource FBR functions (which will alone increase income by Rs.1000 billion) & IMPOSE FLAT 10% tax on ALL & EVERY TYPE OF INCOME (as already mentioned at 3. above), without any exemption (except for the security forces personnel, whose salaries may be doubled with expected receipt of un-precedented increase in revenues). This will not only reduce income tax burden on salaried class (with max. tax rate of 10%. Here don’t forget consultants are already paying 10% tax), but will also result in so much increase in revenues, to the extent that government will not require any tax fresh imposition, in the budget. Plus, the government will be able to give tax free salaries to all the armed forces, rangers, police and other security agencies personnel, who are shedding their blood, in fighting the menace of terrorism, for our and our children’s safe TOMORROW.

8. Pakistan’s Foreign policy is excellent in theory, perhaps the best in the world. However, this policy should be implemented in its true letter and spirit, with core emphasis on PEACE particularly with its neighbours; and Foreign Policy thrust and motto of all our diplomats should be that any and every action in their embassy, must result in the economic benefit of the country. Foreign missions exceeding their allocated targets of investments and remittances should be lavishly rewarded with monetary benefits.

9. Initiate steps (by imposing economic emergency) to bring each and every economic activity under document. In China even road side vendors issues receipts for sales of minor items.

10. To attract huge world wide foreign exchange deposits from expatriate Pakistanis and foreigners, allow profit rate of 3% PA to be paid on half yearly basis, on Dollar and other specified foreign currency bank accounts in Pakistan. We should not forget that in 2013 Pakistan borrowed at 3% from the IMF and sold Eurobonds at 8.25%.

Pakistan Paindabad.

#PCB…#Pathetic #Cricket #Board?

Questions for the members of the BOG of the PCB to be asked during the meeting of Wednesday, 22 November, 2017.

1. Why no separate PSL-1 and PSL-2 Audit was allowed when:
– Scores of time it was announced in Media by the PSL chairman that PSL Audit was being conducted.
– If PSL Audit was not conducted separately from the PCB on the grounds that PSL was not a different company, then why PCB employees were paid huge extra salaries, amounting to crores of Rupees for doing PSL related assignments?
– When PCB gave huge seed money of Rs.50 crores for PSL Project, why PSL was not separately Audited, as a Project?
– If PSL was not a separate project why Mr. Najam Sethi was specifically appointed as its chairman, when the departments of PCB are headed by directors not chairmans?
2. Was the audit of PSL was not allowed because crores repeat crores of Rupees, were paid to the franchises, out of the written terms of the franchise agreements?
3. Was the audit of the PSL not allowed because about Rs. 40 crores was paid to the franchises on account of Pool Money of PSL-1; under a strange terms of the franchise agreement, which stipulated minimum 80% payment, instead of fixing a maximum ceiling/limit of payment?
Everywhere in the world always for payments upper limit is mentioned, but here PCB allowed minimum limit of payment, leaving scope for limitless payments.
4. Was Audit of the PSL not allowed to keep under wraps unjustifiable PSL-1 launching dinner expense of Rs.70,000/- per head?
5. Why constitution of PCB was blatantly violated in removing Mr. Shahryar Khan on 9 August, 2017 whereas, his legal three years tenure was to expire on 17 August, 2017, because he took over on 18 August, 2013 at 4PM?
Questions on MOU.
The Mystery of USD 1 million MOU..!

It was reported in the media that PCB’s Board of Governors (BoG) has approved USD 1 million or Rupees 10 crore to cover the legal expenses involved in filing and contesting the case against the BCCI, for causing huge financial losses to the PCB, by reneging on its commitments made under a MOU, to play six cricket match series in eight years, with Pakistani cricket team.

In this regard, the honourable members of the BoG are requested to kindly call an extraordinary meeting to decide and verify, on the following important points, because about Rs.10 crores of the PCB are at stake:

1. Confirm, by personally verifying and examining the original of the document, claimed by Mr. Najam Sethi as a MOU, between the BCCI and the PCB, was really and legally a MOU or not.

2. Is the document called as MOU was signed by the then heads of the PCB (Mr. Najam Sethi) and the BCCI (Mr. N. Srinivasan)?

3. To confirm whether the purported MOU was written on a legal paper or on the letter head of the BCCI or on a plain paper?

4. Does the document purported as MOU mentions specifically that it was an MOU document?

5. Whether the purported MOU was signed by just a honorary official of the BCCI when the authorised signatory and president of the BCCI was present at the venue?

6. Is this purported MOU just a letter from the BCCI to the PCB?
6 (a). And if it was a letter then is it on the letterhead of the BCCI?
6 (b). And why it was not signed by the BCCI president N. Srinivasan, who was physically present in that ICC meeting?

7. If this document called MOU was counter signed (at that time) by Mr. Najam Sethi as chairman PCB why he allowed a lower rank unauthorised and honorary BCCI person to sign it?
7 (a). And if it was not also signed by Mr. Najam Sethi then can we call such a document an MOU?

8. This purported MOU was signed during an ICC board members meeting. Why did not Mr. Najam Sethi obtain signatures of any ICC board members on this document as witnesses?

9. Why Mr. Najam Sethi accepted this purported conditional MOU from the BCCI, when he himself voted without conditions/reservations, in favour of the Big3 formula?

10. Why Mr. Najam Sethi accepted this purported MOU without the agreement of the BCCI to include the clause of the [ international court of arbitration] as was aggressively taken up by Mr. Zaka Ashraf?

11. The BOG must ask Mr. Najam Sethi as to why he was not taking legal action against the ICC for not paying to the PCB $15 million per year, which Mr. Najam Sethi told to the media and was widely reported in the press that the ICC has made PCB as Big4 and has more than doubled annual payments to PCB to $15 million (after Mr. Najam Sethi voted for the Big3 formula which enhanced astronomically BCCI’s financial share from the income of the ICC), or did Mr. Najam Sethi made a deliberate wrong statement at that time to hoodwink the Pakistani public, from the main issue of his casting an unconditional vote, in favour of making India, the king of the ICC, which started getting lions share of the ICC’s income?
12. Why this so called MOU document was never presented in original, before the members of the BoG of the PCB?

It is earnestly hoped that the timely intervention of BoG members of the PCB may save a huge amount of USD 1 million of the Pakistan Cricket Board.
The issue of participation of Pakistani players in the ICC [unapproved] T10 League.

1. Has the the ICC accorded its approval to the T10 League? If not, then how and why their presence will be there and will have a check on any misdeeds of the players/officials.

2. Why PCB wants to take a chance of sponsorship losses for its own franchises, by holding ICC non approved event, so close to PSL tournament, which is definitely expected to suffer losses due to sponsorship fatigue, which is bound to happen by the diversion of sponsors budgets/funds to T10 League?

3. Why such a tight Indian strangle hold have been allowed over this ICC unapproved league where 67% shares are held by an Indian named Shaji al Mulk?

4. Will BCCI ever allow its 28 players to participate in a League of a Pakistani major (67%) share holder? If not then why PCB has thrown its approval to the feet of an Indian investor?

5. The non participation of almost any reputed Indian player is a big question mark which needs answer in light of the fact that out of the six teams three are owned by the Indians and one by a SriLankan. Only two out of the six teams are owned by Pakistanis.

6. The mother of all questions is that why the PCB chairman took a 180 degrees U turn and allowed 28 players to participate in the T10 League? after announcing that:

a). No Pakistani player to participate in the T10 League.

b). PCB has no connection or link with T10 League.
Proposed Constitutional Amendment

Why to amend the PCB’s constitution just to please the Regional Cricket Association presidents to allow them to extend their tenure from two terms of three years each (total six years)? This will kill the room for the entry of fresh blood and create monopoly of old stuff.

PMLN must repay personally the current national total loan burden of USD 250 billion.
Dear Messrs Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, all cabinet members and entire PMLN party leadership.

Sir,

Hope none of you will be aware that as of now, the latest figure of the total debt of Pakistan (internal+external) stands at Rs.25 trillion or $250 billion, which is almost equal to the total GDP of Pakistan.

Here, I would like to remind you the following:

1. The main election slogan of PMLn in 2013 general elections was:

Ae Tair-e-Lahooti! Uss Rizq Se Mout Achi
Jis Rizq Se Ati Ho Parwaz Mein Kotahi

2. PMLN’s E13 manifesto specifically made the following two commitments:

a). Beggars bowl will be broken.

b). Pakistan’s wealth stashed in foreign countries will be brought back in the country.

In view of the 100% failure of your government on the above commitments, resulting in Pakistan’s virtual economic subjugation before its creditors, the only honourable way left for your party and its top leadership is to quit the government immediately; as an atonement for deliberately pushing Pakistan towards the darkness of the economic abyss, before the mass awakening, for demanding registration of cases, against the entire cabinet and party leadership, for the recovery of total odious loans, obtained in your tenure of the government, personally from all cabinet and party members.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
PS. Related news item:
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is often accused of manipulating figures to show reduced fiscal deficit as well as the total debt that according to the central bank rose to Rs22.2 trillion in 2016-17 compared to Rs14.8 trillion of 2013. The latest figure of the total debt stands at Rs25 trillion or USD 250 billion.
Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/1544770/2-ticking-economic-bomb/

PMLN must repay personally the current national total loan burden of USD 250 billion.
Dear Messrs Nawaz Sharif, Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, Muhammad Ishaq Dar, Ahsan Iqbal, all cabinet and PMLN party leadership.

Sir,

Hope none of you will be aware that as of now, the latest figure of the total debt of Pakistan (internal+external) stands at Rs.25 trillion or $250 billion, which is almost equal to the total GDP of Pakistan.

Here, I would like to remind you the following:

1. The main election slogan of PMLn in 2013 general elections was:

Ae Tair-e-Lahooti! Uss Rizq Se Mout Achi
Jis Rizq Se Ati Ho Parwaz Mein Kotahi

2. PMLN’s E13 manifesto specifically made the following two commitments:

a). Beggars bowl will be broken.

b). Pakistan’s wealth stashed in foreign countries will be brought back in the country.

In view of the 100% failure of your government on the above commitments, resulting in Pakistan’s virtual economic subjugation before its creditors, the only honourable way left for your party and its top leadership is to quit the government immediately; as an atonement for deliberately pushing Pakistan towards the darkness of the economic abyss, before the mass awakening, for demanding registration of cases, against the entire cabinet and party leadership, for the recovery of total odious loans, obtained in your tenure of the government, personally from all cabinet and party members.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
PS. Related news item:
Finance Minister Ishaq Dar is often accused of manipulating figures to show reduced fiscal deficit as well as the total debt that according to the central bank rose to Rs22.2 trillion in 2016-17 compared to Rs14.8 trillion of 2013. The latest figure of the total debt stands at Rs25 trillion or USD 250 billion.
Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/1544770/2-ticking-economic-bomb/

If anyone thinks that Pakistan’s economic turnaround can be achieved with the loans and policies of the World Bank, the IMF plus its current Economy Czars, then probably, he was not aware of the fact these agencies and people have only one solution in their minds which consists of three components of Loan + Tax + Amnesty Schemes.

Now giving loans to repay the loan is no favour to any country, which is badly traumatised in every way by continuously fighting War on Terror (WOT), since the year 2001. These loan giving agencies, if they really wanted to help a war ravaged country, which was fighting the WOT as a front line state of the world, should have given special moratorium for a decade, for Pakistan, in payment of their loan instalments. But, as typical Economic Hit Agencies, further trapped a hapless nation, deeper into their debts.

To further add to the economic problems of the country the economic Czars of Pakistan kept on increasing the inflation by enhancing tax rates and imposing new taxes with every conceivable scheme in their minds These merciless Czars further devised money whitening schemes to make the rich criminals who built their fortunes by evading taxes, look innocent in the eyes of the law.

Now our economic malaise has reached such a stage that business as usual, is going to jeopardise our statehood, not in years, but in months.

The degree of the sovereignty of a country, is directly proportional to the state of the economy of that nation. Actually, in constant growth & development lies our salvation. Moreover, we Pakistanis must know, that without any doubt, the easiest and surest way of moving ahead, is to stand on our own feet. Foreign expensive loans may keep us afloat, but will never allow us to swim and reach the shores of economic stability. To fresh seek loans to repay the old loans is a sure sign of disaster for any economy. Since the World and IMF knew that their fresh loans to repay old loans will further sink Pakistan economically and these loans were given with deliberate ill intentions, Pakistan must stop repayment of these loans on the very strong plea of being ODIOUS loans.

Now, the time has come to separate the growth, development, education, eradication of poverty & security of Pakistan, from the politics, forever.

It has been a good political tactics in the past by all and sundry, particularly by those at the helm of the affairs, to divert the attention of the masses, from the real issues, by mud slinging on politicians, civil and military servants, judges etc. etc. However, now we must put a full stop to this non-sense, which has wasted the entire life of Pakistan.

Since, its a matter of impending economic collapse of the country, for which all of us are responsible and one way or the other, almost no one is exempt from the charge of hurting the cause of the country; we should decide to look forward and forgive and forget each others sins of the past, and take each and every segment and political force of the society in confidence, for a very transparent scheme of our future development. In this connection, Mr. Steve Maraboli has very appropriately said that “Make a pact with yourself today to not be defined by your past. Sometimes the greatest thing to come out of all your hard work isn’t what you get for it, but what you become for it. Shake things up today! Be You… Be Free… Share.”

Nothing can match the benefits of the collective wisdom. Let us build a new economically strong and politically stable Pakistan, by our collective wise decisions; knowing very well that no political party, group or institution is so strong, to run this country single handedly, for a sustainable period, without the help and cooperation of each other. We must also realise that our personal safety and better future lies in accommodating and cooperating with each other, with the sole aim of building a STRONG Pakistan, under the slogan “Re-born Pakistan”.

In this regard, it is suggested that, we should AIM to bring Pakistan by the year 2035, to the level at which Singapore was in the year 2010 (where country was developed first and politics allowed subsequently).

All politics & other considerations should be made subservient to this TARGET for 2035, even if we have to abolish weekly holidays for the next 20 years & reduce our daily sleeping time to 6 hours.

All the stake holders, particularly, from the deprived sections of the society in Pakistan, must immediately come forward, for deciding about the direction of the future of the nation.

Biggest factor in any victory is self-confidence. Anti-thesis of terrorism is education, coupled with economic emancipation.

As such, the nation must embark upon the following agenda, to resurrect our economy without any further loss of time.

1. Request to all foreign donors for a 5 years moratorium, on all debt repayments by Pakistan, which is a frontline state of the world’s war on terror (WOT). Here don’t forget that the world powers have totally written off loans of many countries, for much less cooperation than Pakistan, which is practically fighting their war for more than a decade.

2. 20% per annum reduction in all non-developmental government expenditures, plus total freeze in all perks paid from the national exchequer, involving foreign currency.

3. All government servants starting from the President, PM, Judges, military and civil personnel using official cars must use their vehicles for 10 years, before replacing it with new model.

4. Maximum tax rate on each and every type of income in Pakistan should be fixed at 10%. This will not only bring huge revenues to the government, but will also discourage the tax evasion tendencies.

The size of our undocumented economy is almost equal to the yearly budget of Pakistan.

The best way to minimise black money is not the launching of amnesty schemes, because the black money keeps flourishing after taking advantage of such facilities. If we really want to deal with the menace of undocumented economy on a permanent, the best way is to either eliminate taxes or reduce the rates of taxes to a minimum level i.e., not more than 10%. This low level of tax rate will also automatically encourage people towards paying taxes, rather than paying to the government officials as a bribe, to save them from bigger payments of taxes.

5. Increase in industrial and non-industrial productivity, competitiveness, value addition & exports with the introduction of latest technologies for industry, commerce, agriculture, service and trade sectors.

6. Special support and incentives for developing world facilities for enhancing income from tourism sector, which should encompass religious, medical, educational, hunting and traditional tourism, specially keeping in view how rapidly Dubai has become a world tourist destination by juxtaposing technology with innovative ideas.

7. Set a target for 20% per annum increase in foreign remittances, by offering innovative incentives to expatriate Pakistanis which should even attract foreigners to park their money in Pakistan.

8. Abolish FBR (which will alone increase income by Rs.500 billion) & IMPOSE FLAT 10% tax (already being applied on dividend payments etc) on ALL & EVERY TYPE OF INCOME (as already mentioned at 3. above), without any exemption (except for the security forces personnel, whose salaries may be doubled with expected receipt of un-precedented increase in revenue, due to this formula). This will not only reduce income tax burden on salaried class (with max. tax rate of 10%. Here don’t forget consultants are already paying 10% tax) but will also result in so much increase in revenues, to the extent that government will not require any tax imposition, in the budget. Plus, the government will be able to give tax free salaries to all the armed forces, rangers, police and other security agencies personnel, who are shedding their blood, in fighting the menace of terrorism, for our and our children’s safe TOMORROW.

9. Pakistan’s Foreign policy is excellent in theory, perhaps the best in the world. However, this policy should be implemented in its true letter and spirit with core emphasis on PEACE particularly with its neighbours; and Foreign Policy thrust and motto of all our diplomats should be that any and every action in their embassy, must result in the economic benefit of the country.

10. Initiate steps (by imposing economic emergency specifically for austerity at every level) to bring each and every economic activity under document and start paying 10% tax.

11. To attract huge world wide foreign exchange deposits from expatriate Pakistanis and foreigners, allow profit rate of 3% PA, on Dollar and other specified foreign currency bank accounts in Pakistan. We should not forget that recently Pakistan borrowed at 3% from the IMF and sold Eurobonds at 8.25%.

I am more than confident that by the dint of sheer hard work, sincerity & honesty, which is imbibed in the bones of the Pakistani work force, we can surely bring Pakistan, into the comity of 20 developed nations of the world, in the next 15-20 years.

The leaders of Pakistan holding the destiny of this great nation, with highest manpower potential and material resources in the world, must remember the following two adages.

a. NOT FAILURE BUT SETTING LOW AIM IS A CRIME.

b. IN ORDER TO ACHIEVE THE IMPOSSIBLE IT IS PRECISELY THE UNTHINKABLE WHICH MUST BE THOUGHT.

PAKISTAN PAINDABAD