Loud Thinking

Archive for the ‘Pakistan’ Category

Dear Mr. Narendra Modi Sahab,

Greetings.

We in Pakistan, really appreciate the highly positive gesture of your telephonic call to our Prime Minister to congratulate him on his elections victory and the even bigger gesture of writing a very friendly letter, expressing very positive and warm sentiments in a true statesman like manner.

In this regard, I would like to suggest to the current leadership of both the countries, to take advantage of the conducive atmosphere prevailing in the region; and let India and Pakistan try a NEW APPROACH towards the peace: by first deciding upon a list of such core thorny issues, which are complicated and can only be resolved after full confidence, between the two nations is restored; and freeze all such issues or problems, for a short period of just one decade.

In the meantime, India and Pakistan should restore full friendly relations, by genuinely restoring confidence, by further pulling back troops from the LOC and start immediate cooperation in all the fields of economic activities, visa free, to and fro, travel (for all the cities) of citizens of both the countries, special facilities for the businessmen of the two nations for opening of trade offices, banks, business shops and show rooms, in each others country, removal of all restrictions on cultural and sports teams visits and full permission of the TV channels, to be viewed in each other’s country.

It will be just of a sort of a no war pact (which should also include 90% withdrawal of troops from the entire valley of Jammu and Kashmir and 100% withdrawal of troops from the Siachin area, for a limited period of ten years). 

Moreover, it should also be decided that in order to avoid any misunderstandings, on account of any illegal crossings from the LOC, joint LOC patrolling of Indo-Pak troops along with the UN observers, should also be considered as a part of the overall peace agreement, which is surely expected to work wonders, like a magic, in the economic emancipation of the teeming millions of both the countries.

Sir, hope you know very well that ordinary people of both the countries are fed up with the acrimony between the two closest neighbours; and earnestly desire hundreds of years of peace, for which the only impediment, is the lack of statesmen and visionary people in the policy making arena of both the countries.

Now, your and our leadership has got a golden chance of a life time, to jointly work for the peace of about 1.5 billion humanity.

Please extend your hands to meet the gestures of genuine peace, already offered by Prime Minister Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Niazi Sahab, in his speech of 26 July 2018 by magnanimously offering to move two steps for peace towards India, if India takes one step towards Pakistan, to make the peace aspirations of the hundreds of millions of residents of the sub continent, come true.

Remember, may be this golden chance for the peace between the two nations, if missed now, may not come again, in decades.

Also please inform all those military and political planners in your country, not in favour of genuine peace with Pakistan that low intensity war named as offensive defensive operations, or other covert hostile methods, are no more a long or short term options for, as well as, against; a nuclear power, which reportedly possesses more military nuclear arsenal than India. 

All such paradigms are out dated being a ZERO sum game, in the ultimate nuclear scenario. 

Such policy planners have no business to stay in the past non-nuclear status frame of mind; and they must develop a NEW and FRESH vision, ruling out mutually assured destruction (MAD), to guide a major nuclear nation, like India.

Policy makers of nuclear powers must not have a mindset of a non nuclear state. 

And the foremost responsibility of these policy makers must be to ensure, at all costs, that under ALL circumstances, nuclear flare up or provocations under offensive defensive doctrine, MUST be ruled out: irrespective of the defined policy of no first use of nuclear weapons or retaliatory use of WMD’s.

Sir, if Malala Yousafzai of Pakistan and Kailash Satyarthi of India, can be jointly awarded Nobel Peace Prize for their noble campaign for peace through education and child rights, just imagine, how kindly the world will remember the immortal bold acts of Mr. Narendra Modi and Mr. Imran Ahmad Khan Khan Niazi, in ameliorating the hardships due to hunger, disease and illiteracy of more than 1.5 billion humanity of the entire region.

Please remember that war results only in devastation, deaths and destruction; whereas, dividends of peace are positivity, prosperity, hopes and happiness.

Last but not the least, it must be a very clear objective of the leadership of both the countries, to ensure that India and Pakistan must not live like divided Korea, rather, we should live, like the united Europe.

With best wishes and kind regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad 

Lahore

Today’s sensational media reports of illegal and unconstitutional act of the chairman PCB, to tap the telephones of its employees, demands an immediate highest level inquiry; and if found correct then there was an urgent need of a shake up of the PCB’s administration and registration of criminal cases against the blatant violators of the relevant constitutional and legal provisions, guaranteeing fundamental rights of the citizens (read employees of the PCB) of Pakistan.

As far the Pakistani cricketers are concerned they always bear the burden of representing the image and the hopes of millions of their fans.

Their on and off field behaviours, have a social and political significance, that goes well beyond the field and enters into the homes of all the citizens, as well as, into the most powerful institutions.

The victory in a world cup ODI or a T20 contest, can move nearly all sections of the Pakistani nation, in an incomparable manner.

Thus, for the ordinary Pakistani cricket fan, PCB is not just an organisation; rather, it is a mini Pakistan (and its chairman a mini Prime Minister) and looked upon like the institution of the Pakistani armed forces, where they can’t imagine, any compromise shall be made, on the image and reputation of the country; and where, rather than allowing the lowering of the national flag and pride, our sons sacrifice their lives.

Hence, the PCB and not the players…. needs a turn around..!

We should not be so naive to expect production of a Mercedes car from the manufacturing plant of a motorcycle.

Moreover, as Albert Einstein defined insanity as “doing the same thing over and over again, without any change, and expecting a different result.”

As such, we must not expect miracles by sending players to army institutions, for some rigorous training. If that was the case, why armed forces sports teams world over and in Pakistan, are NOT the number one teams, in all the sports they participate?

Nowadays, like the management, sports is a science and the role of the amateur handlers is over.

Only QUALIFIED professionals can train sportsmen, for producing world beaters.

Until and unless, PCB itself is turned upside down, our cricketing standards, particularly our domestic cricket will keep on sliding into the abyss.

The culture of taking work from the qualified professionals can NOT be handed over to the existing SENIOR staff of the PCB, who can’t even develop a multi-media presentation.

Everyone knows how many managers and above, in the PCB, can truly handle the computers, beyond  emails the reading?

It is suggested that PCB must be totally revamped (with a vision statement of BETTER THAN THE BEST) from the top to the bottom, to make it function, like a top class world level organisation, with zero tolerance for old amateurish and bureaucratic style of working, which breeds intellectual, moral and financial corruption, nepotism and favouritism, in each and every sphere of its operations.

Right now, PCB has become the last and final resting place of the great nincompoops of Pakistan.

However, the greatest harm the PCB is doing to the nation is that it is being run on a system, which is doing double damage; in the shape of production of mediocre run of the mill players; and at the same time, talented players are facing hurdles, in coming into the lime light.

If the PCB wants to survive in the fast changing world of competition, it must change its old habits and rebuild itself, inside out.

PCB must know that a professional organisation is “of and for professional people”.

For the inside out rebuilding, the PCB must come out in a crystal clear manner that “how it want to be thought of” and then consider every thing that the PCB “say and do.”

Every PCB department must also be converted into a “cost center” responsible for its revenues and expenses.

Side by side, the PCB must also shun its CULTURE of politics and self serving policies.

This is absolutely necessary, because culture of an organisation is the environment, under which, all it’s employes perform their duties.

What is needed by the PCB is to create a culture of team work, which stimulates and permeates in the entire organisation. And where the employees are recognised and duly rewarded for working with absolute honesty and professionalism.

While currently chaos, politics and leg pulling is rampant in the rank and file employees of the PCB, how it can be expected to produce players, who will not be equally, if not more, afflicted by these malaise?

As they say in the IT jargon, garbage in garbage out, or output can not be more than the input.

However, the top notches of the government and the PCB, must know very clearly that the PCB can not be turned out into a first class world level organisation, by just transfers, postings, change of designations, hiring or firing of employees.

In fact, such steps breeds even more discontent and ill will, among the employees and the general masses.

To achieve the desired results, PCB needs a total and complete overhaul, disregarding any political or other pressures for serving any vested interest(s), examples of which (running the organisation on an absolutely 100% merit basis) can be seen in many Pakistani organisations like LUMS, SKMCH & RC, IBA, NUST and the GIK etc.

Till such time, the PCB itself is turned into a center of excellence, it can’t produce a bunch of players, who can be the world beaters, on a consistent level.

In any team game, a team do not need champions like Don Bradman or David Beckham to be the world beaters. But, greats like Don Bradman and David Beckham in any team, can not excel, without the cooperation of other team members.

For our players to consistently excel at the international arena, PCB coaches need to repeatedly hammer into the minds of the players, the following famous quote of Aristotle.

“We are what we repeatedly do. Excellence, therefore, is not an act but a habit.”

Now, world over competitive sports is not considered just a past time hobby or entertainment and fitness activity.

Rather, sports activities are considered and handled as a specialised faculty of sports science.

As such, the PCB must shun business as usual, decades old approach.

There is an imminent need to totally wind up the entire current set up of the PCB, which has been turned into a center of excellence for politics, corruption, nepotism and cronyism; which was very aptly expressed by the legendary cricketer Mr. Waqar Younis, when he stated that there was more politics in PCB than the parliament.

The person to be appointed as the new head of the PCB should be a VISIONARY person, who is ready to accept the challenge of turning (in one year) the PCB into a world class organisation.

This goal can be easily achieved by splitting the Pakistan Cricket Board in two units,  as following:

~Cricketing Affairs (headed by a DG who must be a legendary Cricketer with spotless integrity and possessing corporate management acumen)

~Administrative Affairs (headed by a DG who should be a business & management professional)

The new head of the PCB must only be appointed, when you are personally satisfied about his capabilities, after his one on one, interview with you.

Moreover, the PCB think tank must “PLAN FOR SUCCESS” with clear and measurable objectives.

The PCB must also not forget that the world’s best and most expensive coaches are NOT the recipe for the success. If this notion was true, rich countries like the USA and the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, would have been the world champions, in many sports like football etc.

The recipe for success mostly lies in the smooth working of a well defined system, lead for which must come from none other than the PCB chairman.

Gone are the old decadent ways of assembling players for a camp, just before the tour to show their fitness and playing abilities.

It must be the specified duty of the think tank and the selectors to devise a plan to monitor 24/7 the health, eating habits, general behaviour and performance of the CONTRACTED players, in a scientific manner. These contracted players must not be allowed to have a free reign, even during the off days, as they are almost like paid employees of the PCB.

Moreover, the FINE TUNING and grooming of the marked pool of all the talented and upcoming players (non-contracted) should be the SPECIFIC responsibility of the NCA staff, who must constantly produce, highest calibre five players, for each position of the game, both for the men and the ladies teams.

As such, rather than hiring a foreign coach for the national team, we need to hire an experienced and QUALIFIED foreign expert, who has the experience of running the sports academy on professional lines, may be from Australia. This expert should be assigned the task to turn all the NCA’s into centres of excellence, second to none in the world.

It will not be out of place to conclude, by mentioning the quotes of the three famous sports coaches, for the motivation of our players, who are under tremendous pressure to perform on a consistent level.

“Life’s battles don’t always go to the stronger or faster man. But sooner or later the man who wins, is the man who thinks he can.”
– Vince Lombardi

“When you’re playing against a stacked deck, compete even harder. Show the world how much you’ll fight for the winners circle. If you do, someday the cellophane will crackle off a fresh pack, one that belongs to you, and the cards will be stacked in your favor.”
– Pat Riley

I’ve never played for a draw in my life.

Alex Ferguson

In England, it’s a rare thing to see a player smoking but, all in all, I prefer that to an alcoholic. The relationship with alcohol is a real problem in English football and, in the short term, it’s much more harmful to a sportsman. It weakens the body, which becomes more susceptible to injury.

Alex Ferguson

I’m going to tell you the story about the geese which fly 5,000 miles from Canada to France. They fly in V-formation but the second ones don’t fly. They’re the subs for the first ones. And then the second ones take over – so it’s teamwork.

Alex Ferguson

The work of a team should always embrace a great player but the great player must always work.

Alex Ferguson

Wishing you Godspeed in your endeavours to make Pakistan, the best of the best in the world.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Fastest way to immediately fill the coffers of Pakistan with Foreign Exchange Reserves:

Immediate launching of a scheme for payment of 3% PA profit (payable bi-annually) on Foreign Currency bank deposits in Pakistan (backed by the sovereign guarantee of the GoP) with a suitable, but attractive fixed period, say five years.

This is a fool proof scheme, sans any risk, which can boost up our foreign reserves, in a very short time, on extremely cheap rates, as compared to the foreign loans with STRICT conditions where even it is reported that PMLN government obtained loans from China at 6% interest and in some cases 8% insurance charges= 14%) and international bonds, which were sold by the previous government of PMLN, at even 8.25% interest rates (Pakistan will be repaying USD 910 million for USD 500 million Euro Bonds) for which the then PM Mian Nawaz Sharif was requested to hold an inquiry, to fix the responsibility of the culprit(s), who allowed the sale of Euro Bonds, on such a criminally high interest rates.

A stern warning to PM in 2013..!

Mr. PM arrest economic downslide..!

Pakistan Observer 9 Sep 2013
Syed Nayyaruddin Ahmad Email:
nayyar51@hotmail.com

THERE is a strong feeling that government is mortgaging the future of the country with the foreign donor agencies, by taking so much huge amount of loans (that too just for the repayment of the old loans), which this poor country may never be able to repay. This means that in every terms, we have gone bankrupt; and can’t even breathe, without the debt life line.
The gravity of the loan repayment situation can be gauged that during the FY 2102-13 Pakistan spent about 1 trillion PKR out of the FBR’s revenue earnings of less than 2 trillion PKR. Today, Pakistan is not under huge debt, rather, it is completely buried under the debt. The government has borrowed Rs.611 billion in just 40 days from the state bank of Pakistan, as against Rs.507 billion in full year (2012-13). In other words, the PMLN’s government has borrowed Rs.15.3 billion per day in 40 days, as against Rs.1.4 billion per day by the previous regime in 2012-13.
The 6% depreciation of Rupee vs the USD in the last 80 days, has cost Pakistan Rs.3.5 billion per day and has added additional Rs.276 billion in public debt in the last 80 days. (Figures quoted in this para and its preceding para were reported by Dr. Ashfaque H Khan, in his article, titled “A nation’s debt” published by in a national English dated 27 August, 2013).
H’able Prime Minister Mian Nawaz Sharif Sahab, you always spoke against the debt burden through out the last 5 years tenure of the PPP. However, now your government has broken the entire 365 days record of the PPP government in just first 40 days, as per the details explained above. As such, kindly take it as very serious matter (of the economic life and death of Pakistan) because, all the world knows that the USSR, the strongest nuclear power of the world, was broken, not because of any enemy action, but by its own economic melt down.
Sir, unfortunately, all financial indicators points that your era is moving the country fast towards economic melt down. You may remember, I requested you to to take the personal charge of the affairs of the country, lest the situation may not come to a pass, where even you may not become helpless, to stem the rot.
In this regard, after declaring an economic emergency, the following economy and austerity measures are suggested for adoption, to at least put up an impression to the masses, that government is seriously contemplating to improve the economic resurgence of Pakistan. And also to dispel the impression that your economic policy is not to just blindly run the country on domestic and foreign loans and to merely pass your tenure of the government, without bothering about the repercussions of the future inability of the country, to pay back these loans.
Immediate 50% reduction of all the pay and perks of the entire government servants/employees from president to the peon. This should include all government employees, employees of the government semigovernment/autonomous corporations/ banks, PIA, Railways, Steel Mills etc. However, upon improvement of the economic situation the unpaid 50% salary amount should be gradually given back to the employees.
Moreover, for all these government employees, there should be a 50% rebate in payment of all utility bills and educational fees of their children during this period of economic emergency. 50% expenditure reduction in the entire PSDP. Absolute ban on the foreign trips of the government officials. All international meetings to be attended by the respective envoy’s of Pakistan, in that country.Absolute ban on the foreign medical treatment on government expenditure, right from the top to the bottom.
Cessation of the entire subsidy on the food items available to the Senators, MNA’s and MPA’s at the Parliament’s cafeteria, where Roti is served almost free; and even in Peshawar, it is selling at Rs.15/- for the general Public. Complete ban (in real sense) on the official entertainments at all levels.
NAB may be directed to take very immediate steps (absolutely ruthlessly) to recover (from within and outside Pakistan) all the looted national money, on a fast track basis. Immediate nationalisation (without giving any time to the ultra rich people to move their precious jewellery out of Pakistan) of the Gold, diamonds, gems and precious metal in Pakistan.
Reduce taxation rate of all types of taxes, GST, levies, excise etc. to a maximum of 10%. During the currency of this economic emergency period, there should be a ban on increase in the prices and rates of POL, utilities and all essential items.

Respected Justice (Retd) Nasir-ul-Mulk

Caretaker Prime Minister and Patron of the PCB

اسلام و علیکم
Sir,

I take this opportunity to invite your kind attention towards the state of affairs of the PCB and the role of its Board of Governors, considering that another reported meeting of the BoG of the PCB is scheduled on 17 July 2018.

The current BoG members list is given as below:

Mr. Najam Aziz Sethi Chairman
Mr. Arif Ejaz
Lt. Gen (R) Muzamil Hussain- WAPDA
Dr. Najeeb Samie- HBL
Mr. Miftah Ismail- SSGC
Mr. Mansoor Masood Khan- United Bank Limited
Mr. Murad Ismail- Quetta
Mr. Shahrez Abdullah Khan – Lahore
Mr. Kabir Ahmed Khan – FATA
Federal Secretary, Ministry of Inter Provincial Coordination, Government of Pakistan or any other officer nominated by him shall be an ex officio member and shall have the right to attend and speak at all meetings and otherwise take part in the proceedings of the Board of Governors, but shall not be entitled to vote.

It is requested that appropriate government agency may be deputed to investigate (afresh) and conduct a forensic/management audit specifically with regard to the minutes of the concerned BoG meetings, about why all the honourable BoG members of the PCB (which includes the then federal secretary of MO IPC and its minister Mr. Riaz Peerzada who were duly and separately informed) remained mum, over crores repeat crores of Rupees unlawful (and not allowed as per any clause of Franchise agreement) payments in the PSL-1 tournament, to the PSL Franchises, repeatedly brought to their notice in writing.

Our concerned agencies should also investigate all the honourable BoG members of the PCB, for why they did not raise their voice in any BoG meeting, even when the above matter of unlawful payments was already in their full knowledge and that the granting of BoG’s approval, legally held all of them collectively responsible, of all such grave financial irregularities, which were conveyed to them and was also in their knowledge, specially to the BoG member and the chairman audit committee, Mr. Mansoor Masood Khan, who is himself, a very senior banker, as well.

The agencies must investigate about Media confessions of Mr. Najam Sethi that he had prior [concrete] informations of the players intentions and plans of spot fixings in PSL-2, but he allowed the crime to be committed, he allowed Pakistan to be disgraced, but he STRONGLY opposed and managed to STOP the FIA probe from investigating the spot fixing scandal.

FIA should also investigate all the BoG members of the PCB about why they did not raise their voice in any BoG meeting, even when the above matter was already in their full knowledge?

Further, the relevant agency should question inaction and no inquest and reasons of hiding it under the carpet, on the part of the PCB/PSL management and all the BoG members of the PCB, on the following reported [ https://tribune.com.pk/story/1746622/7-franchise-used-bait-betting-scam-psl2/ ] betting scam about PSL-2, as reported by the media, despite propagation of zero tolerance policy on match fixings:

Quote.
“An alleged betting scam involving former Pakistan cricketers and officials that took place during the second edition of the Pakistan Super League (PSL) has surfaced.
According to a report published in the Daily Express, a couple of former Pakistan cricketers colluded with a regional officer to form a betting company, using the name of a particular PSL franchise as bait. They lured possible betting clients by giving them confidence that they had people inside the franchise —including a coach and a team official — assisting them.” Unquote.

It was also mentioned in the news item that the company claimed that it had dispatched expensive cars and watches to the players as a part of their fool-proof plan. The people who placed bets were assured that the team would lose its first couple of matches, a claim that gained more credence when the team lost its first match — resulting in more bets.

Here the question arises why it was in the interest of the PCB/PSL management to hush up the report and not go deep into the reasons of creation of a company to form a betting company, using the name of a particular PSL franchise as bait?

This is a very serious matter and the silence of the entire BoG of the PCB is really deafening.

Moreover, in an another recently reported scandal, {which deserves deep inquiry from an appropriate federal agency} It is very difficult to believe that PCB and ICC will be so naive to have been startled

[as reported by the daily Dawn in its report dated 25 June 2018 link..https://www.dawn.com/news/1416015 ] by the remarks of Pakistani batsmen Umar Akmal that he was approached by bookmakers during the 2015 World Cup to leave two balls for $200,000 for the One Day match (50 overs match) of ICC World Cup 2015 played at Adelaide, Australia on 15 February 2015.

This was the same match about which former Pakistani Test Cricketer Mr. Sarfaraz Nawaz has been pointing out, about a news item, published in a newspaper, reporting about a top Pakistani official of PCB visiting Delhi and staying at the residence of a famous India Bookie (cricket match fixer) who paid Rs.40 crores and Rs.6 crores for Pakistani cricket team to lose two World Cup 2015 matches against India and West Indies, respectively.

Pakistani team did lose both the matches against India and West Indies in a most miserable manner.

In this regard, the then PM and Patron in Chief of PCB was duly requested for holding an inquiry, but of no avail.

Before dilating over that particular Indo-Pak WC2015 match, it will not be out of context to mention that recently PCB heavily punished Sharjeel Khan for playing two, repeat only two DOT balls in a PSL match, played in February 2017 at UAE.

Some self explanatory statistics of that famous Rs.40 crore Indo-Pak ODI WC2015 match, are provided below for your kind Information.

1. Pakistan lost the match against India by 76 runs (in 47 overs) by not even completing quota of 50 overs. (please remember that there was a reported advance payment of Rs.40 Crore for losing the match against India by an Indian bookie, at his Delhi residence, to a top PCB official. Now the genuineness of this report can easily be verified by checking the travel documents of all top PCB officials, to confirm, if anyone of them did visit Delhi, prior to Indo-Pak 15th February 2015 match and what was the purpose of their visit to India).

2. Now coming to the reported offer to Umar Akmal of USD 2,00,000 for two DOT balls, it will be not be a surprise to note that our team played 168 DOT balls in their innings, which is equal to 28 overs of complete DOT balls. Please remember (as informed above) that Sharjeel Khan was severely punished for playing only two DOT balls in a PSL match.

3. Pakistani team’s playing of full 28 DOT balls in an innings of just 47 overs, means that our team scored on only 114 balls or 19 overs in a match of 50 overs.

4. Umar Akmal himself scored zero and played four DOT balls in that World Cup match against India, while Umar Akmal told Samaa TV that he was approached by bookmakers during the 2015 World Cup to leave two balls for $200,000.

5. In this regard, Media has also reported very alarmingly that after PCB issued a show cause notice to Umar Akmal, he was called at the PCB headquarters in Lahore and subsequently PCB allowed Umar Akmal to play a league tournament in Canada. If this news was correct, it clearly implies that PCB has decided to not take any further action against Umar Akmal and the startling scandal was shelved by the PCB without taking it to its logical conclusion.
In this connection, some further main points for your consideration of an investigation against PCB and PSL management and financial irregularities are detailed below for your convenience and consideration please.

1. Why Mr. Najam Sethi sent (after refusing the permission initially but when the League agreed to pay few lac dollars to the PCB the consent was accorded) our 27 players in the lap of the Indians infested T10 League in the UAE and why no member of the BoG of the PCB ever questioned this matter in the board meeting?

2(a). Complete and abject surrender of PCB before the Indian Cricket Board (BCCI) in the ICC.

PCB under Mr. Najam Sethi voted in December 2017 for India (BCCI) to be made Big-1 after voting to make India Big-3 in 2014.

No international cricket during IPL from 2019 [Update Post #97]
Link:- http://www.pakpassion.net/ppforum/showthread.php?267451-No-international-cricket-during-IPL-from-2019-Update-Post-97

Link:-https://www.google.com.pk/amp/s/m.timesofindia.com/sports/cricket/ipl/top-stories/virtually-no-international-cricket-during-ipl-from-2019-bcci-ceo-johri/amp_articleshow/62544323.cms

2(b). Why Mr. Najam Sethi did not raise any objections in the last meeting of the ICC held in Singapore on 7-8 December 2017 over the Indian plan of making BCCI as Big-1, and agreed unconditionally, with the Indian plan which stipulates that from 2019 onwards, no cricket series will be played in the world under the ICC’s auspicious, during the days/time when IPL will be underway in the months of April and May? Strangely, the England’s Cricket Board (ECB) objected to this proposal of the BCCI, but Mr. Najam Sethi representing PCB, unconditionally supported the Indian Plan and raised no objection. And, despite such a huge and highly anti-Pakistan’s interest, favours granted to the Indians by Mr. Najam Sethi, what we we got from the Indians was that they refused to send to Pakistan, their blind cricketers team to play the World Cup matches during January 2018 in Pakistan; and on top of that Mr. Najam Sethi allowed our blind cricketers team to play against Indian team, the World Cup match, in the UAE, wherein, when the Indians refused to play in Pakistan, their match should have been forfeited and points awarded to Pakistani team: which when went out of home ground, to play in UAE, lost to the Indian team and Indian Blind team ultimately won the World Cup also.

Pakistan cannot allow Mr. Najam Sethi to make the PCB subservient of the Indian cricket board (BCCI) for reasons best known to Mr. Najam Sethi.

2(c). Mr. Najam Sethi is constantly humiliating Pakistan, by supporting out of the way [also remember Mr. NajamSethi’s all out and full support to the Indians in 2014 for the Big-3 plan in the year 2014, when, even Indian notables were raising their voices, against this Indian hegemonist plan in the ICC].

2(d). 450 million dollars question?

Reproduced below are some of the excerpts of the daily “The Express Tribune” news published on 30 June 2014 which proves that PCB’s income was to have been $450 million as a reward of supporting Indian Cricket Board’s plan of Big-3 in the ICC, which was originally (rightly) opposed by Mr. Zaka Ashraf, the then Chairman PCB, before Mr. Najam Sethi became Chairman PCB, as Zaka Ashraf point blank told the Indian Cricket Board Officials that any offer of tour of Indian Cricket team to Pakistan must be assured by a bank guarantee to PCB, so that in the event of any back out from the Indians, PCB will not suffer any financial loss and PCB’s support to the BCCI’s plan of Big-3 will not go down the drain, without any consequences for the BCCI.

Excepts of the news published by the daily “The Express Tribune” dated 30 June, 2014 are reproduced below.

LAHORE: Pakistan Cricket Board chief Najam Sethi claimed on Monday that his country will earn $450 million from the next eight-year cycle, mainly from four series with arch-rivals India.

India and Pakistan signed an agreement to play six series, four of which Pakistan will host in the next eight years, on the sidelines of an International Cricket Council (ICC) annual conference in Melbourne last week.
The windfall for Pakistan was made possible after they conditionally agreed to approve an ICC revamp that gives major powers to cricket’s “Big Three”, India, Australia and England.

“We get the most revenues when we play with India and if all goes well we are set to earn $300 million from the four series we host against India,” he said.

That, Sethi claimed, will get Pakistan the most funds after the Big Three.

“We will get revenues on fourth number, and I can say with confidence that in the next eight year cycle we will get $150 million dollars from the ICC,” he said, bringing the total takings to $450 million.

This compares to Pakistan receiving $10 million from the ICC per year in the last seven-year cycle, Sethi added.

3. Be Fooling the Nation:

3(a). Why the nation is being be fooled by Mr. Najam Sethi Chairman PCB by lodging a meagre $70 million compensation claim vs BCCI (against expected revenue of $450 million according to his own words reproduced above) with the Dispute Resolution Committee of the ICC [The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is seeking $70 million in compensation, as reported by the daily The Express Tribune dated 11 April 2018 excerpts and its link reproduced as below:

Excerpt:
The Pakistan Cricket Board (PCB) is seeking $70 million in compensation. It initiated dispute resolution proceedings against the Board of Control for Cricket in India (BCCI) at the ICC in November last year.
link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/1683067/7-icc-forms-panel-resolve-pakistan-india-dispute/ ]

According to the own statement of Mr. Najam Sethi reproduced as below and also quoted above there would be NO COMPENSATION IF INDIA DOES NOT PLAY DUE TO NON-CLEARANCE FROM DELHI QUOTED AS BELOW:

“But Sethi said there would be no compensation if India does not play due to non-clearance from New Delhi.

“There was no compensation before, there is none now. This is not the norm in mutual series when government does not give permission.”

Link:- https://tribune.com.pk/story/729174/big-four-pakistan-to-earn-450-million-in-cricket-cycle/

AS SUCH THE MILLION DOLLAR QUESTION IS WHY MR. NAJAM SETHI GOT AN APPROVAL FROM THE BoG OF THE PCB FOR AN EXPENDITURE OF ONE MILLION DOLLAR/POUNDS IN CONNECTION WITH THE EXPENSES OF FILING THE COMPENSATION CLAIM [THAT TOO FOR A MEAGRE AMOUNT OF ONLY $70 MILLION DOLLARS INSTEAD OF $450 MILLION] WITH THE ICC AND WILL ANYONE FROM THE GOVERNMENT ASK THE CHAIRMAN PCB TO PAY BACK TO PCB ONE MILLION DOLLARS?

4. There was a huge question mark on the non-transparent auction of media rights by the PCB for EIGHT years (2015-2023) instead of FIVE years; and that too for a lesser value from the previous five years media rights auction (2008-2013).

Before dwelling in the details of the PCB’s media rights auction, the following questions needs satisfactory answers:

a).  PCB invited Mr. Andrew Wild Blood an international expert on media rights,  to ascertain the value of PCB’s media rights, apprised the PCB directors and senior management that its value was around $300 million to $400 million, then why the rights were sold at much less amount for EIGHT years instead of FIVE years, which was allowed by the members of  the Media Rights Bid Tender Committee.

b). Why 12 foreign companies who paid $10,000 (each) to PCB for purchasing the tender documents for participation in the PCB’s media rights auction, were not allowed to participate in the bidding; and only two companies namely, GeoSuper TV and Ten Sports TV were allowed to bid for the tender.

C). Although, the Media Rights auction comes under the PCB’s Marketing Department, why the Director and General Manager of the Marketing Department were NOT allowed to sit in the tender opening of the auction.

First of all kindly peruse below the Indian Cricket Board’s (BCCI) comparative performance of earnings of huge income from the auction of its media rights for the next five years (not eight years) over the previous auction of media rights:

5(a). Rupert Murdoch’s Star paid 38.5 billion Indian rupees ($592 million) for the rights to broadcast India’s home matches from 2012-2018.

5(b). Broadcasting giant Star India on Thursday completed its virtual monopoly over Indian cricket by bagging the media rights of the national team’s home series as well as domestic cricket for the next five years by shelling out a staggering Indian Rs 6138.1 crore ($944 million approx).

5(c). The exact increase of next five years earnings of BCCI of media rights over previous seven years (2012-2018) comes to:$944 million – $592 million = $352 million

5(d). Percentage increase comes to 62.71

5(e). On yearly basis the increase is detailed as below:

$592 million divided by 7 years (2012-2018) = $84.57 million year

$944 million divided by 5 years (2019-2023) = $188.8 million

Yearly increase comes to 123.24%

6. PCB’s comparative analysis of media rights income from auction:

6(a). According to the media reports (PCB rarely officially/transparently provides its figures like the BCCI) the PCB on 27 March 2015, auctioned its media rights for the next eight years {2105-2023} (including the 4 proposed Indian team’s visits for the home series to be played in Pakistan or outside Pakistani soil) for less than $150million (as per AB TAK TV channel report the bid amount for the auction was just a peanut of $125 million, with further deductions of production costs and UDRS expenses which may be over $10-15 millions, reducing the net earnings to a meagre amount of around $110-115 million), compared with the PCB’s 2008-2013 five years media rights auction amount of $144 million.

6(b). The exact DECREASE of next eight years (2015-2023) earnings of PCB’s media rights over previous five years (2008-2013) comes to:

$115 million – $144 million = NEGATIVE $29 million

6(c). Percentage decrease comes to Minus 20.13%

6(d). On yearly basis the DECREASE is detailed as detailed below:

$144 million divided by 5 years (2008-2013) = $28.8 million per year

$115 million divided by 8 years (2015-2023) = $14.38 million per year

Yearly DECREASE comes to 49.93%

7. Besides the matters pointed out above the Chairman PCB and all its BoG members must be asked to provide plausible and satisfactory answers of the following unlawful payments and mismanagement in the affairs of PCB and PSL:

7(a). PCB must provide the following documents:

i). Complete with all annexures, Internal and external audit reports of PCB for years 2013-2014, 2014-2015, 2015-2016, 2016-2017.

ii). Complete Internal and external audit reports with annexures of PSL-1 and PSL-2.

iii). Complete and all documents demanded by the Special Audit Team of the AGP which conducted the Special Audit of the PCB in 2017 and such documents were not produced before the Special Audit Team.

8. Why a huge amount Rs.22 Crore was paid by the PCB to its five franchises from the profit of PSL-1 when:

8(a). No such payment clause was mentioned in the agreements with any franchise party?

8(b). No prior audit of PSL-1 was conducted.

8(c). No Prior audit of any franchise company was conducted before payment/release of this huge amount of Rs. 22 Crore to the five franchises.

9. Why an amount of about Rs.40 crore was paid to the five franchises on account of a one-sided and strange clause in the franchise agreement, which stated that franchises will be paid out of the income from Pool Money, a minimum of 80% income amount?

9(a). 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, straight and strange loss to the PCB.

9(b). Accordingly, this clause resulted in unprecedentedly reduced payment to the PCB, on account of pool money income, notwithstanding the fact that initially and still now, the PSL gets all the time, resources and money (PCB paid huge amount of seed money to start PSL) from the PCB. It is reported that initially, PCB gave seed money of Rs.50 Crore for PSL venture.

9(c). Why this huge payment allowed of pool money (minimum 80% MAXIMUM NO LIMIT) to the five franchises which 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?

10. Why beyond agreement and unlawful Payment of Rs.5 crore was allowed to the five franchises on frivolous account of Support fund, which was highly objectionable way of dishing money unlawfully, from the income of PSL-1?

11. Why PSL-1 budgeted expenditure which 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 evidence, of reasons of excess actual expenditure of about Rs.12 crore of Rupees.

12. Why Mr. Najam Sethi did NOT allow the auditors of the Special Audit team of the AGP office in 2017 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 were under audit? What actually happened when Special Audit team of AGP office went in 2017 to conduct Special Audit of PCB/PSL that only PCB’s accounts (without all marketing department’s documents) were allowed by Mr. Najam Sethi to be audited, but he continued to mislead the nation by telling over media that PSL-1 accounts have been audited and approved by the board and the audit of PSL-2 accounts will be completed by early January 2018. (link:- https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=_ZIHYxUoDIE ). Here in this video of 22 November 2017 he categorically told that PSL-1 Audit was completed and APPROVED and about the stage of audit of PSL-2 all questions of the external auditors have been replied by the PCB and provided to the external auditors, who (External Auditors) will finalise & submit their report by 1st or 2nd week of Jan.2018.

13.When reportedly PCB loaned Rs.50 Crore as seed money to start PSL and a separate secretariat was established (with Mr. Najam Sethi appointed as Chairman of PSL) and even near about Rs.4 Crore was unlawfully paid to 33 PCB senior/junior employees as PSL allowance, why now PCB did not allow audit of PSL with the Special Audit Team of the AGP office?

14. Further, there is another extremely important point that if PSL accounts were not maintained separately then false profit was declared and distributed to the five franchises, by absorbing PSL expenses into the overheads of the PCB. This act if it has happened is nothing but a deliberate financial crime and gross unlawful act for which not only Mr. Najam Sethi, but the entire members of the Board of Governors, the Audit Committee (of which Mr. Najam Sethi was also a member) and the CFO (who was also paid an hefty amount as PSL allowance) are responsible, collectively and individually.

15. Why separately and unlawfully very high amounts of about Rs.4 crore were paid to 33 employees of the PCB, who were looking after the PSL’s work as Pakistan Super League Allowance without approving Eligibility Policy? 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 while approving the accounts of PSL-1?

16. Why Mr. Najam Sethi 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 and on other huge unlawful payments.

17. A question must be asked that why the Draft for players for PSL-2 was not held in Pakistan but held at Dubai (causing huge avoidable expenditure) when it was earlier held in Pakistan for PSL-1?

18.The approving authority of this holding of Draft for players for PSL-2 in Dubai, should be asked to refund this extra expenditure from his/her own pocket.

In the meantime, it is requested that till all these inquiries of severe financial and administrative irregularities in the PCB/PSL are finalised, the Honourable Prime Minister and the Patron of the PCB Respected Justice (Retd) Nasir-ul-Mulk Sahab is requested to immediately remove the chairman PCB and dissolve the PCB’s BOG with an ad hoc body, which should be headed by a spotless, competent and non-partisan personality, with sufficient experience of business/management/administration and enough knowledge of the game of international and local cricket.

 
Basically amnesty schemes are for the rich of the rich by the rich.

These schemes are offered to legalise mega economic crimes of the ultra-rich, in the poor countries falling in the category of Banana Republic: and are never offered, in the developed nations, where the rule of law is supreme.

In fact, in the poor countries the first thing the big wigs do is to get the amnesty scheme immediately legalised from the parliament and the judiciary.

In this regard, writing off of mega bank loans of the rich and mighty defaulters is also an amnesty for the ultra-rich persons of the society.

Never ever, huge educational fees, fat medical expenses and high utility bills (which includes payment by the poor of the share of theft charges of the utility facilities by the rich and mighty) have been waived off for the poor, in Pakistan, by any government.

In typical Banana Republics the huge and sprawling residences and production units of the high and mighty, invariably indulge in thefts of utility facilities and taxes with issuance of SRO’s, the burden of which, is passed over into the bills of the poorest of the poor, even living in the ghettos: and to cover up their smart moves, a propaganda is unleashed that very few persons pay taxes in the country.

Further, the hitmen of the Banana Republic excellently use their brains to serve their masters and befool the masses, by ingenious ways of deception.

In this regard, the previous government of PMLn found two genius masters/ministers who reduced the amount of Pakistan’s government debt and poverty, respectively, with just a stroke of pen, by changing the definition of total government debt and arbitrarily amending the status of poor living below poverty line, by a Royal Decree that those earning less than one USD per day will only be considered poor in Pakistan of PMLN’s government, instead of the internationally accepted yardstick of two USD per day.

If we calculate the losses suffered by the country due to the issuance of SRO’s by the previous PMLN’s government, the nation will be surprised to know that it may open a Pandora’s box of biggest ever financial scam of the country.

Moreover, like devaluation of currency, the amnesty schemes, theft of utilities, issuance of SRO’s and loan waivers increases the number of poor persons living below the poverty base line: and similarly increases the number of persons legally living above the ultra rich category, who only pay 10% of the tax revenue compared with 17% share of the poorest 10% in Pakistan, just because indirect taxation is above 80% and direct taxation less than 20% in Pakistan.

The gist of the above analysis clearly explains that Pakistan must immediately get itself unleashed from the policies of the hitmen and develop a homegrown politico-socio-economic system specifically designed to serve the masses not the masters.

Best Regards,

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Devaluation is a sure recipe of economic meltdown..!

Government of Pakistan (GoP) must be duly warned that rapid devaluation of the PKR is no panacea for the economic stability.

Rather, it is a sure recipe for disaster, which, as a direct side affect, is throwing back more and more Pakistani population, to below the poverty line.

Those economic managers of the country, who think that our economic slide into the abyss, can be controlled with more and more devaluation (in fact four times in the last five months, re-defining or re-phrasing the definition of the total public debt, changing the definition of poverty to people who live on 2$ per day income to 1$ per day income and by fudging the economic numbers: are behaving like a pigeon; which closes its eyes, on seeing a cat.

I have been writing in the past that it’s a misnomer and disinformation that Pakistanis don’t pay taxes.

The fact is that all the 220 million Pakistanis pay taxes.

The devil lies in the fact that above 80% indirect taxes and less than 20% direct taxation, is the major cause of our backwardness; and on two dollar per day income basis, is the main reason, of over 130 million population, living below the poverty line.

Moreover, 10% poorest pay 17% of the tax revenue to the government; and richest 10% pay only 10% of the revenue to the government.

Until and unless, these abnormalities of our economic system are corrected, it will be well neigh impossible, to take out major portion of our population (which numbers may well have now increased substantially over 130 million after the recent massive devaluations of PKR) from the below poverty line income segment of poor people, earning less than two dollars per day.

In this regard, the fastest way to reduce the poverty, is to ensure direct foreign investment into Pakistan, for which our foreign missions must be given specific targets.

Other means includes immediately replacing the entire existing economic team of the SBP and the MoF. And by bringing back the billions of dollars illegal foreign funds and properties of Pakistanis, a la the Saudi Arabian Model and recovery of illegally written off loans and bad debts, by imposing economic emergency laws, on fast track basis.

Last but not the least, immediate launching of a scheme for payment of 3% PA profit (payable bi-annually) on Foreign Currency bank deposits in Pakistan (backed by the sovereign guarantee of the GoP) with a suitable, but attractive fixed period. This is a fool proof scheme, sans any risk, which can boost up our foreign reserves, in a very short time, on extremely cheap rates, as compared to the foreign loans and international bonds, which were sold by the previous government of PMLN, at even 8.25% interest rates (Pakistan will be repaying USD 910 million for USD 500 million Euro Bonds) for which the ten PM Mian Nawaz Sharif was requested to hold an inquiry, to fix the responsibility of the culprit(s), who allowed the sale of Euro Bonds, on such a criminally high interest rates.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad
Sydney

Government of Pakistan (GoP) must be severely warned that rapid devaluation of the PKR is no panacea for the economic stability. Rather, it is a sure recipe for disaster, which, as a direct side affect, is throwing back more and more Pakistani population, to below the poverty line.

Those economic managers of the country, who think that our economic slide into the abyss, can be controlled with devaluation, re-defining the total public debt, changing the definition of poverty to people who live on 2$ per day income to 1$ per day income and by fudging the economic numbers, are behaving like a pigeon; which closes its eyes, on seeing a cat.

I have been writing in the past that it’s a misnomer and disinformation that Pakistanis don’t pay taxes.

The fact is that all the 220 million Pakistanis pay taxes.

The devil lies in the fact that above 80% indirect taxes and less than 20% direct taxation, is the major cause of our backwardness; and on two dollar per day income basis, is the main reason, of over 130 million population, living below the poverty line.

Moreover, 10% poorest pay 17% of the tax revenue to the government; and richest 10% pay only 10% of the revenue to the government.

Until and unless, these abnormalities of our economic system are corrected, it will be well neigh impossible, to take out major portion of our population (which numbers may well have now increased substantially over 130 million after the recent massive devaluation of PKR) from the below poverty line income segment of population, earning less than two dollars per day.

In this regard, the fastest way to reduce poverty, is to ensure direct foreign investment into Pakistan, for which our foreign missions must be given specific targets.

Other means includes immediate sacking of the entire existing economic team of the SBP and the MoF. And by bringing back the billions of dollars illegal foreign funds and properties of Pakistanis, a la the Saudi Arabian Model and recovery of illegally written off loans and bad debts, by imposing economic emergency laws, on fast track basis.

Last but not the least, immediate launching of a scheme for payment of 3% PA profit (payable bi-annually) on Foreign Currency bank deposits in Pakistan (backed by the sovereign guarantee of the GoP) with a suitable, but attractive fixed period. This is a fool proof scheme, sans any risk, which can boost up our foreign reserves, in very short time, on extremely cheap rates as compared to foreign loans and international bonds, which were sold by the previous government of PMLN, at even 8.25% rates, for which I had then requested to Mian Nawaz Sharif, to hold an inquiry, to fix the responsibility of the culprit(s), who allowed the sale of Euro Bonds, on such a criminally high interest rates.

Syed Nayyar Uddin Ahmad

Sydney