** PAK players must be crazy **

The recent decision of ICC to shift Cricket World Cup-2011 is on the expected lines. But some bigwigs of PAK cricket have reacted strangely to that decision.

To quote a few, Rameez Raza , Ex CEO of PCB was shocked where as Moin Khan was very surprised. Rashid Latif feels that the security situation in India is just as bad and Zaheer Abbas says WC to be shifted out of Indian sub continent if not held in PAK. Miandad, who is fired and reinstated into PCB scheme for the umpteenth time cries foul that PAK cricket is being isolated and Salim Altaf expresses great disappointment.

No meaning can be derived from such statements except that they all are mere formalities. One can’t be so stupid to expect a global (?!?!) event such as WC is to be conducted in PAK. When India rightly decided not to tour PAK, Sri Lankan board - (then headed by Ranatunga, and subsequently dissolved) –which was locking horns with the BCCI over selection of ICL players for domestic matches, thought touring PAK was the best chance to diminish India’s dominance in world cricket. Their players did well there but had to hurry back to homeland with their tails between their legs. While one can’t envy their position during direct attack by terrorists, the foolish decision by SL board to send them there can not be undermined.

The situation in PAK has ‘definitely changed’ in recent times, yes, it has gone from bad to worse. Taliban is breathing under the nose of government (if any govt. is there). Suicide attacks and bombings are a daily occurrence. The deteriorating state of affairs in PAK is known world wide. In this backdrop, those reactions by Ex pak players appear to be very funny.

Tail Piece: As far as security is concerned, the Indian Govt’s decision to say NO to IPL during elections is praiseworthy; whatever may be the real reasons. Instead of making a mess of it, they at least said NO.

HOW SAFE IS SAFETY IN RAILWAYS

Fortunately or otherwise, I have been traveling in Chennai-Vijayawada- Warangal section of Indian Railways since 1991. All along there have been many changes, but one thing that never changed is the constant threat of theft in running trains. Even though I haven’t lost anything, I have been a witness to many such scenes where passengers lost plenty. The most recent one was in 2621 Chennai-New Delhi Tamil Nadu Express which left Chennai on 22/03/2009. A passenger, according FIR lost nearly 45 sovereigns of gold, and cash.

It can’t be denied that the onus of safeguarding the luggage lies with one’s self, but a passenger can’t be expected to guard it all the way through the entire journey- which in any case is believed to be safe under lock, chain, key etc.

This is not an one off incident to be neglected or ignored. This is continuing occurrence in all trains crossing that section, despite the safety surcharge- which is paid by each passenger, in train- amenity forces and other tall claims made by the Railways. Also it is not very difficult to conclude that these things can’t go on happening like this without the blessings of concerned authorities.

Most of the cases are reported in other states (other than that in which the theft occur), which is understandable because nothing much can be done in a moving train. This makes the follow up much more difficult. Such scenario is working nicely to the advantage of those culprits. How many losers actually report the loss, how many among them care to follow up and how many following up losers get something back? In my experience I haven’t come across any one who got back some valuable lost like this.

On the other hand, according to a railway official with whom I happen to converse, you can afford to lose anything if you are a high ranked Govt official, high profile politician or someone equivalent. The official recollected some occasions, when lost items were traced, and dispatched to the destination by air, to join the owner when he reached there.
But that is not too surprising, because in India, Safety and security is not for the common man. It is only for those ‘privileged’ people