Loud Thinking

Posts Tagged ‘India’

China has really made a Maamoo of India. Never ever an armed to teeth nuclear nation has been so hapless and miserable.

It is just unbelievable how India is tamed and now behaving like a wet cat.

Indians are now remembering a Chinese saying “”Respect the strong, blackmail the weak”

A Times of India news

Chinese are not going to vacate Ladakh anytime soon, strategic experts feel

Link:- http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Chinese-are-not-going-to-vacate-Ladakh-anytime-soon-strategic-experts-feel/articleshow/19804826.cms

NEW DELHI: Prime Minister Manmohan Singhhad tried to soothe a frazzled nation by saying that the Chinese incursion into Depsang Bulge in eastern Ladakh on April 15 was a “localized” affair, and the government had a plan to resolve it.

But strategic experts believe this latest round of border problems between India and China is the most serious till date, and unlike the government, they don’t think the Chinese are going to vacate any time soon and that this may lead to other similar face-offs in other sectors along the Line of Actual Control (LAC).

Bhaskar Roy, Chinese security expert, says, this time India has not depended on its own strength to stand up to China. There is a Chinese saying, “Respect the strong, blackmail the weak”.

Former foreign secretary, Kanwal Sibal, observes, while the PM has suggested that the matter should not be escalated, the fact that the Chinese ambassador was summoned by the foreign secretary has already done so. Any Chinese intrusion across any point at the LAC will always be a local affair and hence, says Sibal, the implication is that the Chinese can keep doing it and we will keep reacting to it like this in the face of “uncompromising attitude of the Chinese and their determination to question our sovereignty.

Strategic affairs expert Brahma Chellaney says, it will be nationally demeaning if either foreign minister Salman Khurshid’s visit to Beijing on May 9 or Chinese Premier Li’s Keqiang trip to India on May 20 takes place while the intruders stay put and fortify their positions. Singh has given only comfort to the aggressor by his remark that the intrusion was a local affair, he says, with Beijing welcoming his comment. “To make amends, Singh should at least signal that good-neighbourly ties demand respect for the territorial status quo and that he hopes Beijing will withdraw its intruding troops so that Khurshid’s Beijing visit and Premier Li’s New Delhi stopover can go ahead,” he says.

Jayadeva Ranade, another China expert, says, this intrusion was unprovoked, but this is not an “isolated” incident, as the government is trying to show. There have been similar incursions in many areas along the LAC particularly since 2008, he says. “Beijing remains transparently unmoved by the adverse media publicity and damage it has caused to India-China relations. It has neither moved to resolve the situation despite three flag meetings at the level of local army commanders and communications from New Delhi requesting resolution. Beijing has thus made it abundantly clear that it will defuse the situation only at a time of its choosing. Beijing’s stance confirms too that the stand-off is not a local incident provoked by the action of a local commander, but one initiated with the full knowledge of China’s senior leadership,” Ranade explains. He says that the timing may be coinciding with Singh’s Japan visit and probably be a signal from China warning India against New Delhi’s Tokyo outreach. “Beijing is adept at using a blend of threats and promise of military retaliation to deter an adversary from taking actions contrary to Beijing’s interests,” he adds.

While the PM’s statement would appear to substantiate the Indian official position that the conflicting perceptions of the LAC in the Western sector has resulted into this situation at the Daulat Beg Oldie (DBO), says Alka Acharya of the Institute of Chinese Studies, an early resolutiondoes not seem imminent. “To that extent it is localized in northern Ladakh, south of the Karakoram Pass. But to the extent that it has brought about a situation which earlier “intrusions” did not, it has to be treated with more than the usual response,” she says.

“In many ways, the responses have been initiated but the manner in which the talks are continuing, an early resolution does not seem imminent. We appear to be reaching the point where both sides are upholding the position that they are operating in their own territory- question is will both agree to restoring status quo ante,” she adds.

It is absolutely the right time to fully appreciate PCB and Pakistani cricket team for basically two achievements. Firstly, for winning the ODI series against India 2-1 and secondly, for completing a very sensitive tour, absolutely incident free.

Now, this is also very appropriate time for the PCB, to finalise its short and long term future plans, with regard to the policy of categorising players for the teams for Test’s, ODI’s and T20’s. This is necessary, because Pakistan will be competing for Test Championship, Champion’s Trophy, T20 World Cup and the ODI World Cup, all within next 36 months.

So, with an eye on the future, the PCB planning should focus on such potential players, who have the capacity or who can be groomed to have the capacity, to deliver for Pakistan, in the days to come. We should not waste time, energy and money on such players, who are past their prime and per se wants to continue playing, just for selfish reasons; but they are practically blocking the future of up coming and young players, for an indefinite period.

In this connection, PCB recently, took a difficult, bold and wise decision of dropping Shahid Afridi from the ODI version of the game. While, not taking anything from the past contributions of Shahid Afridi, PCB’s decision was very progressive and forward looking, but in my opinion, was still a bit late. National interests must not be compromised for personal wishes.

Now, again the time has come to select the players for the different versions of the game, on the basis of talent and capacity of the players, with prime objective of INVESTING in future. PCB should adopt a policy of bearing with the failures of the fresh lot with patience, rather than pursuing with old horses, who have even lost the strength, to easily hit sixes or even boundaries to reasonably good bowlers, or take three or four runs without being exhausted, on a slightly bigger grounds.

According to my observations, PCB must think about the future of the following players in a very rational manner.

1. Misbah ul Haq. He is not at all capable to play till the 2015 ODI World Cup. Even now, he is over age and not capable of steering the team out of a crisis situations, in front of WORLD CLASS bowling, particularly against out of sub-continent teams. So, why not to groom a fresh batsman instead of MUH and on the other hand, give the captaincy to Muhammad Hafeez, for gaining the experience for the coming Champions Trophy and the ensuing ODI World Cup?

2. Younis Khan. Our selectors took a retrogressive action in recalling him from the ODI retirement. Even his presence in the team today in the 3rd ODI, couldn’t save Pakistan from a mere 10 runs defeat against India. His selection for the Indian tour has cost us heavily, in not giving experience to a youngster. He should be decently thanked for his services and let him not block the future of any budding batsman. PCB should not be so callous with the new generation of batsmen, that retired batsmen be made to come in their way. If PCB had recalled Muhammad Yousaf or even Inzamam ul Haq, may be, they would have scored runs more than the newcomers, but then we can’t and must not live in the past, under any circumstances. For that matter, if India lost the ODI series against Pakistan, no heavens have fallen. Similarly, if we had lost to India with fresh legs, it would have been a gain of experience, rather than winning with recall, of retired persons.

3. Kamran Akmal. Just like Shahid Afridi (who can still be selected for few more weeks and months for his bowling abilities) Kamran Akmal is a spent cartridge; and to continue with him is in fact, deceiving ourselves. He may still give some performances against mediocre bowling, but against world class bowlers, his batting is absolutely UN-DEPENDABALE. As far as his wicket keeping is concerned, it is OK. However, there is no shortage of young generation of agile wicket keepers and hence, further continuation with Kamran Akmal, is like living in a fools paradise.

4. Shoaib Malik. There is no doubt that he was past his prime many months ago. He has reached a stage, where its impossible for him to perform against quality bowling, particularly in ODI and T20 versions of the game. If we argue that he performed well in domestic level, then the selectors should be told that domestic level performances are for the new players. International players are judged on their performances against foreign teams. These are two separate criterions for the different levels of players. If the selectors still wants to retain some old horses, for Test matches for some time, then PCB management shall be the better judge. However, these old players must not be used in a way to stop the career of the budding players.

5. Umar Akmal. He was touted in the past to be a player with immense talent. However, he has proved wrong all his fans and well wishers. In fact, he is the most UN-DEPENDABLE batsman in the team. Not to play him is a risk. However, to play him is a bigger risk. While batting, he is a very risky person for the batsman at the other end. Moreover, mostly his shot selections are very poor. He never puts a price on his wicket. Also it looks that in his failures, there is a big hand of his head coach. Somehow, this man looks a fit case for sending him to a psychologist, for making him a person with some sense of responsibilities and strong mental power, who should be able to focus on teams goal achievement. Till such time he is transformed into a mature person, Umar Akmal seems to be an utterly misfit player in the national squad.

Now, after wasting almost a year’s time, the government of Pakistan is again active in proceeding with the telecom auction of 3G spectrum. However, this time GOP or PTA has appointed three consultants for advising on the whole process of auction to ensure transparency (as being told to the general public).

In this regard, we invite the attention of all stake holders of this telecom auction, to the pit falls of the previous IM (information memorandum); and the terms of tender documents duly elaborated in my February 2012 open letter to the then PM Pakistan, Syed Yousaf Raza Gilani, reproduced as below for the benefit of the all concerned, to ensure that Pakistan is not cheated in the ensuing 3G telecom auction, planned in the coming weeks and months. Plus the mew IM must mention that any telecom company like Etisalat, will not be allowed to participate in the bidding process of the auction, if it is a defaulter of the GOP, notwithstanding the fact that it has gone to the court or got an stay order etc. Any such party must deposit the outstanding amount in lump sum. However, if at any later stage, the defaulting company gets courts order in its favour, the GOP must be bound to immediately return the disputed amount.

$10 Billion Impending 3G Auction Scam – My Open Letter to PM in February 2012, Still Relevant Today.

Honourable Syed Yusuf Raza Gilani,

AoA.

It will not be out of place to begin with a news item published in the news papers today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012, stating that the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as below. Quote ” Today corruption in our country not only poses a grave danger for the concept of constitutional governance, it also threatens the very foundation of Indian democracy and the rule of law.” Unquote. The above was said by Justice A.K. Ganguly, while delivering a ruling in connection with the alleged underpriced selling of telecom licenses, which the national auditors says may have cost the country up to $39 billion.

An excerpt from a Times of India news published on Wednesday, 2nd Feb. 2012 is also given below for the information of Mr. Abdul Hafeez Sheikh, Finance Minister of Pakistan, who says he expects only $800 million from the COMBINED telecom auction of 3G, (4G LTE) and (5G LTE-A.) (India got IRS69 billion for ONLY 3G, exactly two years ago, as per TOI news quoted below.

“The 122 licences were given by Raja for over IRs 9,000 crore, while 3G auctions for a smaller number of licences had fetched the government a sum of IRs 69,000 crores.”

In the same context of selling of telecom licenses in Pakistan, a mega scandal is also brewing, for which your kind attention is invited to immediately intervene, so that the nefarious designs of unscrupulous elements to defame the PPP and its government, is nipped in the bud.

DETAILS OF THE CASE

With the recent publication of the advertisement of PTA in the news papers for “Invitation for Expression of Interest” (EOI) with application for AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc), the following questions needs answers to safeguard the national interest by all and sundry.

1. Why the LOW base price of US $ 155 Million for one Mobile Cellular License/Spectrum (800 MHz), when this license was sold for 291 US $ Million eight years ago in the year 2004? OK, it is being auctioned for 8 years instead of 15 years, but is there no premium for above 68 % mobile teledensity which was not there eight years ago?

2. Why the license will be technology neutral? Which means no licenses will be required for any future launches of 4G, 5G so on so forth. this also means selling all future long term evolution inductions free of cost. This happens no where in the world. Even in Pakistan when 2G was sold in 2004, it was not permitted to launch 3G without fresh license. So why now 4G onwards is being sold free of cost?

3.i. Why the LOW base price of US $ 210 Million for the auction of Three Mobile Cellular Licenses/Spectrum (1900/211MHz/3G/4G/LTE etc.)?

3.ii. Here it should be noted that 2G license was auctioned by PTA in 2004 at US $ 291 Million, when there was much less teledensity than 68% as of now and in the next 15 years (the period for which new licenses are being auctioned), it will obviously increase to higher levels.

3.iii. And above all this auction is technology neutral, which means license for 3G is also valid for FREE for 4G, 5G onwards. Under this situation this base price of US $ 210 Million is ridiculously low.

4. As per IM (Information Memorandum) on PTA website all three telecom companies winning the technology neutral AUCTION of Mobile License/Spectrum (3G/4G/LTE [long term evolution] etc) will be required to pay half of the bid value within 30 days in USD or PKR. Also Rest of the amount can be paid in USD or PKR in five equal yearly installments. This virtually means that Telecom companies will NOT bring any fresh foreign investment and also the remaining 50% amount will be deposited on PAY AS YOU EARN basis. This tantamount to robbing the nation of valuable FDI in the garb of auction terms, particularly when bidding is only allowed in minimum 2 million USD and maximum 10 million USD. So when bidding is in USD, then why NOT payment should also be in USD?

5. Why PTA has shown less figures of total Teledensity of Pakistan (68.39) in 2010-11 at para 3.7 of (IM [information memorandum] on its website) whereas, according to its own figures in the graph shown in the para 3.7, the total comes to (68.43)?

6. Why the PTA advertisement published in the news papers of 24 January, 2012 states mobile teledensity as 62% against the figures of 64.9% shown in IM at their website?

7. Indian economy is about 7-9 times bigger than Pakistan, but it got IRS69 billion, that too, in April 2010, from it’s auction of ONLY 3G. Why our Finance Minister has kept a budgeted amount of ONLY $800 million as expected income from the auction of NOT only 3G but 4 & 5G as well?

Submitted for consideration and immediate corrective action before it is too late.

—————————————
It was reported recently on a TV channel, that Finance Minister Abdul Hafeez Sheikh expects 800 million USD revenue, from the auction of 3G (fast Internet) license to telecom companies.

It is also reported that government has fixed the base price for auction to held on March 28 and 29, 2012 for 3G and 4G as 210 million USD. Whereas, 8 years ago 2G was sold at 291 million USD. (Please check and confirm this data from PTA).

Here, I must forewarn all and sundry, that under no circumstances, the worth of this auction amount can be less than 10 billion dollars. India got IRS69 billion from the same auction in April 2010 i.e. two years ago. Details are available at link:- https://www.snayyar.com/3g-telecom-technology-pakistan-can-earn-billions-of-usd-by-just-selling-air.html.

It will not be out of place to state that as reported today i.e., Wednesday 1 Feb. 2012 the Indian Supreme Court warned on Tuesday that corruption posed a “grave danger” to the world’s largest democracy quoted as above.

All patriotic citizens and institutions must be alert, lest we may not be cheated again, by those who sold our valuable national assets, for even less than the peanuts, in Musharraf era.

IS THIS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ISLAMABAD OR OF PAKISTAN?

The National Assembly of Pakistan has at last unanimously passed the Right to Free and Compulsory Education Bill 2012; which is related to free and compulsory education for all the children from the age of five to sixteen, as a fundamental right; and its provision is a responsibility of the state. 

However, our NA passed the aforesaid bill which is only applicable to the Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT). Now the general public is right in  asking the question to the Pakistani National Assembly members, whether other areas of the country does not come under the Parliament? And why they have limited the partial and vital scope of the bill to the capital areas of Islamabad only. 

The bill also bounds private schools. to give free education to 10% of the poor children in the vicinity of their school. In India. this ratio is 25% and since, we are much behind India and all other SAARC nations in the field of education, this percentage at least should have been 30%, and that too FOR SCHOOLS ALL OVER PAKISTAN AND NOT ONLY IN ISLAMABAD. IS THIS THE NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF ISLAMABAD OR OF PAKISTAN?

May be, our NA members are afraid of the private schools owners? So much for the love of the poor, by our parliamentarians.

May be, such performances of our Parliamentarians has created hatred for politicians and democracy in the minds of the general public, which always, repeat always welcomes military takeovers in Pakistan.

Nation Calling PCB to Answer 7 Questions 

1.Chief Selector Iqbal Qasim, says that Abdul Razzaq, Imran Nazir & Kamran Akmal  were selected on the basis of experience, then why Raza Hassan selected  over EXPERIENCED Abdul Rehman?

2. The worthy genius chief selector further said, that Asad Shafiq was selected on the basis of his performances in Sri Lankan Test matches series. However, he should know that it is going to be a T20 world cup. And if there is no difference between the two games, why separate teams and  captains for the two formats? Moreover, if performances in the Test matches were the criteria, then who performed better than Junaid in Test matches? and who performed worse than Sami? So, why Junaid excluded from the team and Sami included?

3. And taking the overseas performances as  a basis of selection for Abdul Razzaq, who else performed better than Azhar Mahmood as an all rounder in BPL and IPL? Similarly, Shahzad was the best Pakistani fielder in ODI world cup held in 2011, in India, BD & SL. Plus, he was the most outstanding and destructive batsman in BPL, why he has been given a bad name for axing from the selection? 

4. Just give one reason for the selection of  spent cartridge Shoaib Malik, rated as the most pathetic performer in T20  INTERNATIONAL games, and also give one reason for non-selection of Wahab Riaz.

5. Similarly, every expert says that technically and in all other aspects, Adnan Akmal is a better wicket keeper than Kamran Akmal, who is too much over weight also; then why drop Adnan Akmal, who also batted exceptionally well, in SL Test series?

6. Why there is an emphasis on old spent cartridges rather than fresh legs and promising players.

7. Why the team has been selected in a great haste when there was time till 18, August 2012?

This chief selector previously resigned when Pakistani teams selected by  him consecutively lost 14 matches. The Team Pakistan is not the chief selectors personal or his fathers team. 

Since its a national matter, Pakistani public demands from the chairman PCB to personally answer the above questions, for the satisfaction of the Pakistani cricket lovers all over the world.

Everybody knows that PCB had been burning midnight oil, for the last few months, to successfully materialize the planned tour of BD cricket team to Pakistan. In this regard, the BCB chairman’s statement speaks for itself, that he was fully satisfied with the proposed security plan for BD team, after personally viewing all the security arrangements, for matches in Karachi and Lahore. Now to put blame of all this fiasco on PCB is not only unfair, but harsh, as well. 

let me take the cat out of the bag, to tell the whole world, the real story of this botched attempt, to revive the international cricket in Pakistan, as below.

Actually, Pakistan is not hurt by the cancellation of the visit of the BD cricket team. The matter of extreme grief and shock was that BD government and the cricket board, first created a hype and then reneged on their promise, as if, they wanted to punish Pakistan, for its crime of helping BD, get the Test status. Also, it was Pakistan not India, whose contribution made the BPL  such a successful event.

Nevertheless, Pakistan will emerge even a stronger team in the coming days, but very soon, BD will rue it’s decision, of cheating Pakistan in such an unbecoming manner. BD should have had the guts, in the first place to say no, rather than backing out at the eleventh hour. Compared to the BD government, even Indians are better, that they have the guts, to say no.

One thing is confirmed now, that BD is surely a paper tiger. There was no need for such an intrigue, in saying no for the tour. BD had been toeing the line of Indian lobby, without realizing that India always treated BD like minions. BD was never invited by India, for a cricket series, since they got Test status, that too, courtesy Pakistan. 

We know very well, majority of the BD people love Pakistan and wanted the tour to go ahead, but the people at the helm of the government in BD, are known stooges of another country and never leave any doubt with their uttering and acts against Pakistan, to prove to their masters, that they are worthy puppets. Another recent example is, when BD told EU, that they have objections to Pakistan getting tax free access to EU countries, for two years. We also knew at that time, from where BD was speaking on this issue.

Any way, we still wish good luck to BD and it’s great people, as they have been made a stooge of India, not by the choice of it’s people, but by the intrigues of it’s traitor rulers.

Come on the rulers of BD, enough is enough, stand up and behave like a sovereign nation and at least pretend, that BD is not another province of India.

For Pakistan, world will see very soon, teams stronger than BD will be visiting here, sooner than later.

Pakistan will emerge even a stronger team in the coming days, but very soon, BD will rue it’s decision, of cheating Pakistan in such an unbecoming manner. BD should have had the guts, in the first place to say no, rather than backing out at the eleventh hour. 

One thing is confirmed now, that  BD is surely a paper tiger. There was no need for such an intrigue, in saying no for the tour. BD had been toeing the line of Indian lobby, without realizing that India always treated BD like minions. BD has never been invited by India for a cricket series, since they got Test status, that too, courtesy Pakistan. 

Any way, we still wish good luck to BD, as they have become a stooge of India, by choice.

For Pakistan, world will see very soon, teams stronger than BD will be visiting here, sooner than later. 

We Pakistanis are at a loss to understand, why ICC is treating Pakistan like a pariah and subjecting it to worst type of apartheid?

Firstly, ICC is ensuring that no foreign team tours Pakistan. Secondly, if at all any nation wants to tour Pakistan, ICC ensures that the tour is sabotaged at any cost.

Moreover, ICC also takes no action against the Indian organizers of T20 world champions league, who refuses to invite Sialkot Stallions, the world record holder team (no state team in the world has won in their own country, 7 times, like the Sialkot Stallions), as if India and Pakistan are at war and don’t have any diplomatic, trade, cultural and sporting links.

We want an answer from ICC, is it not apartheid against Pakistan cricket, with the full connivance of ICC?

Since, the ICC understands only one language, I will advise the PCB to talk with ICC in the language they understand best and to serve a legal notice to ICC, with maximum damages claim for apartheid against Pakistan, for allowing an ICC approved international cricket tournament, with illegal exclusion of a member country champion and world record holder Sialkot Stallions T20 cricket team.

In order to neutralize Indian double game, Pakistan must emphasize that ICP (integrated check post) working at Wagah border can’t be allowed (for which India & USA are dying to start its working to allow flow of 2000 trucks per day movement from present rate of 200 trucks per day movement) till such time India restores full fledged cricketing ties with Pakistan (as per the commitment of MMS) and must first send Indian cricket team to Pakistan, for a full fledged tour of 3 Tests, 5 ODI’s & 3 T20 matches series.

We must understand that why even after the commitment of MM Singh with our PM last year in Mohali, for the restoration of cricketing ties between the two countries, what are the Indian motives to back out on their commitment? If they can back out, we can also do the same and this must be very clearly told by our PM to Barack Obama (who has a big stake in restoration of India -Afghanistan trade link through Pakistan, in facilitating India as per the US end game plan of Afghan war), when he meets him in the next few days.

First, they sent terrorists to attack Srilankan team players and then blame us on security issues. Enough is enough. If security for players is an issue, then let it be an issue also for the Indian goods and transports going to and fro to Afghanistan.

Now it’s high time this joke with Pakistan, is stopped forthwith.

The news published at ESPNcricinfo.com quoted as below, that ICC is not willing to send its officials for supervising the planned cricket matches to be played between Pakistan and Bangladesh, scheduled in April 2012, is really disappointing to say the least. Rather than ICC helping revive international cricket in Pakistan, by sending a world XI, it is relegating the BD cricket teams tour to Pakistan, almost to a nonevent, as if it was hockey or rugby and does not pertains under the ambit of ICC. This is NOT Cricket.

Quote. “ICC news

ICC frames plan for ‘unsafe’ series
Nagraj Gollapudi
March 7, 2012

The ICC has introduced a “special dispensation” to be made only in “exceptional circumstances” in order to ensure that bilateral series take place even if the ruling body has determined it “unsafe” to appoint its officials for such series. This would allow such series to be manned by “non-neutral match officials”, a departure from the ICC’s Standard Playing Conditions, pending permission from the ICC’s Executive Board.

The dispensation, announced at the end of the ICC’s Chief Executive Committee (CEC)’s two-day meeting in Dubai, will have special significance for the proposed tour of Pakistan by Bangladesh, the planning for which is at an advanced stage.

The CEC stated that it had limited powers to take a decision over safety issues as to whether tours should take place or not. It reiterated that the ICC’s role in bilateral series was “limited to considering the safety and security of the match officials after a tour had been confirmed and a security plan produced.” The decision as to whether a particular tour should take place or not was, the CEC stated, “one for the participating countries.”

The CEC statement has ensured that the ICC’s own officials need not be appointed for Bangladesh’s tour of Pakistan. That could be seen by Pakistan as a stumbling block towards hosting top-level international cricket; other nations would be wary of touring if the ICC deemed the situation was not safe for their officials.

For Bangladesh, the seal of ICC’s approval would have ensured greater vigilance around security issues. Last week, a nine-member Bangladesh delegation, led by their cricket board president Mustafa Kamal, gave a nod to the security arrangements at various venues after a two-day visit. Both Kamal, and Zaka Ashraf, the Pakistan Cricket Board chairman, had said that they would approach the ICC to approve the tour.

It is understood that the ICC dispatched individual letters to both the PCB and BCB on Monday, saying that it could not give the tour a go-ahead. The CEC’s introduction of this special dispensation around “non-neutral match officials” did not make a specific reference to the ICC’s disapproval of the series or that the tour had been deemed “unsafe” for its match officials to stand in. The dispensation however, creates the opportunity for the series to go ahead with Pakistani or Bangladeshi umpires and match-referees.

There had been two itineraries proposed for the tour, one of which includes a three-match ODI series, and the other a series of two ODIs and one Twenty20 international, to be completed in one week in April. Lahore’s Gaddafi Stadium and Karachi’s National Stadium are the venues expected to host the matches.

ESPNcricinfo understands that Bangladesh’s security team had expressed its reservations in playing in Karachi, and instead hope to play all the proposed matches in Lahore. Earlier, Rawalpindi was dropped as a venue from the plan.

“It is important the tour goes ahead for Pakistan cricket to show the country can host games again,” Subhan Ahmad, the PCB’s chief operating officer, told Reuters. “We will have the highest level of security possible.”

Haroon Lorgat, the ICC chief executive, pointed out that special dispensations however should not become a norm. “Bearing in mind that safety and security is the sole responsibility of individual member boards for bilateral matches, the CEC regarded this as an exceptional circumstance in which the appointment of non-neutral match officials could be justified but stated clearly that it should not to be regarded as a preferred option or precedent if the dispensation were to be granted,” Lorgat said.

There has been no international cricket in Pakistan for exactly three years now after masked terrorists attacked the Sri Lankan team bus and the van carrying ICC match officials, who were on their way to the Gaddafi Stadium in Lahore on March 3, 2009, on what was the third day of the second Test.” Un-quote.

The above mentioned decision of ICC means that they want to inflict upon Pakistan, a perpetual punishment of banning genuine and authentic International cricket from this cricket loving country forever. And too, by ignoring all the huge human and material sacrifices Pakistan gave as a front line state, in the war against terror, while standing with the world community to make this planet a secure and safe place of freedom, peace and liberty.

This is called playing into the hands of terrorists. In fact, this gives a clear cut signal that terrorism pays.

But remember, what happened at Munich Olympics where so much blood was shed? IOC did not succumb to the unbearable pressures of security concerns and the majestic Olympics flame and its movement goes on, despite severe security threats all over the world.

ICC must know that the way it is approaching security issues in Pakistan, it is not only retrogressive but discriminatory, as well. However, leaving aside the negative effects on Pakistan cricket, the biggest sufferer will be the game of cricket, for which ICC will rue for a long time to come, when posterity will give its verdict that not terrorism, but ICC, with its myopic policies, destroyed growth & development of the glorious game of cricket.

If nations and organizations start succumbing to the threats of black mail or security concerns, then nothing will stop their decay into wilderness. Look how serious security threats were posed by the Mumbai 26/11 attack, but English cricketers continued their tour of India, sending a clear message of solidarity and steadfastness with freedom, peace and liberty.

Timidity, only gives longevity to the nefarious designs of the evil. And this was the reason England never surrendered in the Second World War to the mighty German onslaught, despite unbearable sufferings sustained for many years. Similarly, Pakistan as a front line state in war on terror is standing for more than a decade, like a rock of Gibraltar, to protect world from the spread of terrorism. As such, Pakistan deserves more than any other country in the world to be supported, even out of the way, for its sacrifices for the peace of the entire world.

So come on ICC, show some true spirit of cricket, as it is not the game for timid perons, stand up and be counted for freedom, peace and liberty.