Our own khadim-e-aala pulled quite a surprise in Chiniot the other day – where all who matter had gathered since we struck gold, apparently. But the CM’s surprise wasn’t about iron-ore or copper. Word has it that he quite shocked the expert German consultant who was appraising participants about the project’s potential and limits. Seems Shahbaz questioned the consultant in fluent German, leaving Herr Consultant visibly dumbfounded, not the least because his English was broken at best. When asked about the CM’s performance, he said it was perfect German. Turns out the younger Mian sb picked up pretty decent German and Arabic in the Ittefaq Foundary days, which took him here and there on business.
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So India’s old Chief Election Commissioner (CEC) SY Quraishi was in Lahore recently. PILDAT hosted a grand dinner in his honour; our own former CEC and CJ Tasadduq Jilani was among those present. Of course, the guest gave a detailed presentation, providing valuable insight into the world’s largest election. Surprisingly, the neighbour’s 29 states and seven union territories are overseen by a humble staff of the EC and three members. The CEC is not first among equals; he possesses wide ranging powers. And to top it all, not only did he surprise everybody by his chaste Urdu, he also shocked certain valued members of the judiciary by saying that across the border the EC comes from the bureaucracy, not the judiciary; even ROs are not from the lower judiciary. Seems we’ve been pushing the wrong bunch for the right job.