WARREN Buffet is looking for acquisitions as an outlet to deploy his $38 billion cash pile (Dawn News, Feb 27, 2010). He said and I quote: “Our elephant gun has been reloaded, and my trigger finger is itchy.”
Mr Buffet, please aim your loaded elephant gun toward Pakistan, zoom in on Lahore, zero in on Empress Road, and fire it on Pakistan Railways Headquarters. Unlike Mr Raymond Davis’s gunshots and drone attacks, your elephant gunshots will be cheered.
You are famous for your in-depth analysis and risk-taking. If you do that here, chances are that you will become more famous and loved in Pakistan than your fellow American, nurse, mountaineer, philanthropist, educator, daredevil and risk-taker Mr Greg Mortenson.
He has conquered our hearts, rules our minds and has captured our soul by building schools, specially for girls, in remote areas.
It will be a great addition to your plan of buying railroad Burlington Northern, USA. Your analysts will tell you that Pakistan Railways is a good buy too.
The synergies thus created by buying these two similar business companies will benefit your Berkshire Hathaway Inc. shareholders.
Pakistan Railways, if run the way it used to run in the 1950s to 1970s can easily grab back the goods transportation load from inefficient trucks and passenger business from unsafe buses.
Pakistan Railways has prime land in all major cities, the cost of which may be in billions. Analysis will also show that Pakistan Railways people are no less than any other nationalities when it comes to technical skills and expertise.
They can still operate 100-year-old steam engines without any spares supply.
Original railway engines came from General Electric, USA, and they operated without any failure for 40 years but were slowly sidelined in the 1980s.
They can be started and operated even now after doing some repairs, 60 years after they were purchased.
Pakistan Railways goods and travel service and performance was as good as Amtrack, US, for a good four decades.
They just have to be nudged towards the basics, which they were doing as a habit earlier.
You can do that easily, Sir.
S. NAYYAR IQBAL RAZAKarachi