News From Rawalpindi / Islamabad
On 7 August
2010, the Islamabad/Rawalpindi Chapter met at the lush green Golf Club of Islamabad
Club, which looked dreamy and impressive at night. A large number of course mates along with their lady wives attended.
Although many more had confirmed their attendance, but as usual to the agony of
the course secretary did not turn up.
After the pleasantries and usual hello-HIs, the dinner was served. The food was good and plenty and everyone seemed to have enjoyed it.
Thereafter, the course secretary Col Asif got the male participants fall-in outside the dinning hall for the update on accounts. He also informed that the dinner was arranged due kind courtesy of Ghori and the hall booking charges had been waived off by Arbab Zahid Pervez (few would remember him - he was from 54th PMA and joined us and later bid farewell to the arms after our first term) who is presently the Captain of Islamabad Club. Asif also apprised the participants about the birthday of Jalal (that's me), to which everyone sang the opening verses of "happy Birthday to you...." (thanks all for that), though Akhtar Nawaz Janjua reminded me that I was now a year closer to my final journey.
Asif Ilyas had his son married and many of us were invited for the Walima at Crystal Hall, AWT Mess, Rawalpindi. Those of us present there included Shahid Maqbool, Ashraf Tabbasum, Ghazanfar, Tahir, Raja, Naseer, Zafar, Ikram, Zahoor, Sibqat, Tariq, Shafiq, Mohsin Amir, Aslam Javed, Abdul Rauf Khan, Farooq Ahmed, Tariq Fazal from Lahore - and of course Jalal HB.
Any event in the twin cities of Islamabad / Rawalpindi becomes a venue for a mini course get together. After the course get together at Rwal Dam recently, the wedding of Ashraf Tabbasum's daughter was yet another occasion for many of us to join the event spread over two days. The "Mehndi" was held at the Rawalpindi Golf Club and was attended by a few of us. The pleasant presence of Jamal Zia from Lahore gave new colour to the occasion.
The wedding attracted, beside many senior officers, a large number of us. Presence of Khalid Javed (from Lahore) was a surprise. Zahir was missed as he chose to be in foreign lands. Regretfully, the photos from my mobile were hazy and blurred.
Khalid Javed and Mushtaq took a few snaps and were requested to send these for inclusion in the site. The above photos are courtesy Mushtaq Khan and am obliged.
(Delayed) Eid Milan Party: So finally it did happen on the night of 22 November at Islamabad Club. Asif had arranged a wonderful dinner beside ensuring a good gathering. Almost fifty course mates, mosty accompanied, attended. There was everybody who are usually in Rawalpindi/Islamabad and counting everyone would be difficult (counting the absentees was easier).
However, one can see most of the attendees in the photographs. Everyone was willing to be "shot" to immortalize the event (Munir should be happy). After pleasantries, dinner was served and it was really good.
On dinner tables, everyone ate and chatted. After the dinner, Asif called for a half-circle conference to apprise everyone of the situation of course fund and donations. Three venues for the next course get together were discussed ( Peshawar as inviteby Tariq Khan, Nathia Gali and Murree). Although, Peshawar should have been selected as Tariq Khan had sent in the invitation long ago, but due to security situation, it was the opinion of the majority that attendance would be thin at Peshawar. So Murree was finally selected for which Zaheer will be making all the arrangements. And then the house was open for a lighter mood and jokes. And it was after a long time that Alamgir got a chance to corner Sami Ullah Khattak, who was equally offensive to shoot back all NRO type allegations. And amid laughing and smiling, the party came to an end.
There have been no news lately to keep the website active except the other day when a "Fauji Truck" ripped my car's bumper which finally led me to the Akbar Market near Mareerh Pull, Rawalpindi for repairs on this Saturday. The mechanic, denter and the painter announced a time frame of 4-6 hours for the job. To while away the time, I just got on to the Murree Road for a stroll (though at 1 pm it wasn't any time for any such adventure specially without a headgear for a half bald person like me). And at that time I remembered that Islam (Ul Haq)'s office was nearby (he being the MD WASA), so I decided for an unplanned call on. Since I wasn't dressed up for the occasion, his reception staff eyed me with curiosity and suspicion as I did not spell out my rank with the name. Reluctantly, I was ushered in and was met with hearty smile and big hands. I was served with a cold drink, followed by a KFC burger and then tea with biscuits. It was a delight to be there in his office recalling old days in an office overlooking Liaquat Bagh. While he was busy in his office work, I snapped him with my mobile phone for those who haven't met him since long. After spending sometime with him, when I announced my departure, he asked his staff car wala to drop me back to the workshop (which saved me from another stroll under the scorching sun).
The marriage of Tariq Sher's daughter on 12 March 2009 at AWT main banquet hall was the venue of a mini course get together since a large number of serving and retired course mates attended. Agha Umar Farooq from chilling Quetta (on vacation as "his school" is closed), A-Z Shahid from Karachi, smartly dressed Zahir from Lahore and Ghazanfar from chilly Abbottabad were among those who came from out satiation. Locals included Ashraf Tabbasum, Shahid Maqbool, Farooq, Munawar, Azhar Ali Shah, Mumtaz Bajwa, Rashid Javeed, Shahid Ahmed, Munir, Dr sahab (Mukhtar), Javed Ashraf Bajwa, Sheikh sahab (Tahir), Qayyum, AA Janjua, AN Janjua, Mansur, Zuhr Khan, Fahim Khawar, Jahangir, Rizwan, Raja (Jinn), Allah Dad (Kurd??), Hayee, Asif, Zafar Masud, Asim Jilani, The WASA man (Islam), Shigri, Shoaib Mumtaz (the election man), Akram, Alamgir - anyone left. Yes of course Jalal HB (Myself). The function ended with a good dinner amid chats of yester years and discussions on future plans and prevailing situation.
Mini get together was held in Rawalpindi on the eve of marriage of daughter of Lt Col Mujeeb. Many course mates attended. Zhair and Younis had come from Lahore while Vincent Samuel who is currently in Pakistan was also there. Others included Shahid Maqbool, Farooq, Tariq Sher, Asif, Ali Akbar, Mansoor, Naveed Akbar, Zafar and of course myself. The picture quality is not very good as I shot these with my mobile phone. The event was well attended and all of us had a good chat - specially with Vincent Samuel whom we met almost after passing out from PMA.
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Rawalpindi Get Together : And finally there was a get together of the Rawalpindi Chapter on 25th October 2008 at the Rendezvous Restaurant, Saddar, Rawalpindi. I walked in at around 8:15 as against 8.00 PM and found a number of course mates already in the open lawn of the restaurant, gossiping and welcoming anyone who dropped in. And soon it was all packed with some 47 of us.
The get together was basically aimed at welcoming the three two-stars who have recently been posted to Pindi and in all we have five two stars, namely Bajwa, Solehria, Shahid Maqbool, Zaheer and Rashid. Of the recently retired one stars, we had Qayyum, Kahlon, AN Janjua (AA Janjua and AI Janjua were absent), beside myself. Of the serving one stars we had the roaring Tariq Sher, Mansoor and Sheikh Tahir.
The gossiping and photographing by me to add pictorials in the otherwise stale website of the course continued till a call for the dinner was made by the course secretary, Col Asif. The dinner was very lavish, tasty and everyone who wasn't watching his weight had plates full. After the dinner, Col Aisf got us all together and apprised all of course fund details, donations by some of the course mates (including announcement of Rs. 10,000.00 by Sir Basharat right there on the spot). He also apprised us of the settlement of late Javed Sutan's family on Peshawar Road and education of his children.
He appreciated the efforts of some of the course mates, specially Munawar A Solehria in his efforts to look after the settlement phase of late Javed's family. Asif also spoke of my concern about the stalemate in the website and everyone readily agreed to participate in providing me some news to rejuvenate the site. It was also decided by a unanimous vote that the we will once again give the opportunity to Ghazanfar to host the 2009 Annual Course Get Together at Abbottabad. Although Ghazanfar proposed a two night stay at Abbottabad, but it was finally decided to have a one night show as was done in 2008. The get together finally ended with a Three Cheers by Munir for Asif for being a very effective course secretary and for his efforts to keep everyone onboard and well informed about everyone. |
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6 September 2008 :
While the nation observed 6 September 2008 as
the Defence Day, a large number of one stars finally donned off their
uniform and bid farewell to a 33 years long army career. Those who are
bidding farewell to arms include
Arjumand, Tahir Kahloon, Jalal, Munir (took an
earlier relief), Abdur Rehman,
Akhtar Nawaz, Bajwa, Akhtar Abbas, Qayyum and Rao Jamil
(anyone left??) - Look at the following young and
energetic faces and then look back in a mirror and find out what have we all
lost and gained.
Read the Full Report ...
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Honours and
Awards: |
| THOSE WERE THE DAYS | ONCE TOGETHER | CLUB ACTIVITIES | FINAL TERM PLATOONS | PASSING OUT DAY | WE STILL REMEMBER | GRAY HAIR | GENERATIONS | HUMOUR IN UNIFORM | LEISURE | WHO IS WHO | YOUR MAIL | ADDRESS BOOK | NEWS UPDAATE |
