By GC 20620, Atique Ur Rehman
Though it was raining,37 years ago, on 14th March but we made it to the top of stairs in first Pak Battalion mess, to join one of the best armies in the world. Happiest day of our lives. Hard earned commission in the Army as 2/Lieutenant ( نیم لفٹین), after two years of rigorous training at Pakistan Military Academy. It was also the day to say good bye to our friends who had been through thick and thin during these 24 months of military and academic training. We were raw in 1984, when we crossed the PMA gates, two years ago in March 1984. Now on 14 March 1986, we were trained junior military leaders who were to join units spread all across the country and defend our mother land. It was real now, training was over. We were to lead our men on Siachin, at LoC, Cholistan, interior Sindh, Balochistan, Pak- Afghan border and face real enemy, if it ever tries to cross and step on our motherland. Never, it was not to happen till we were alive , enemy could only step into our territory over our dead bodies. That’s the value, we were inculcated in us during those tough two years at the physical weapon and military training areas model rooms, and hall of studies in PMA.
Parting ways on 14 March 1986 was hard. During last 37 years, we have de-shaped, gain weight, hair turned grey, bulging tummies, bald heads, few still trying to look young, but all smiling and ever motivated and disciplined and upright. The highest morals and character traits learnt in PMA stays alive in us which is our ultimate pride, and pride of every officer.
Comradeship is a gift of rigor but it blossoms in the lap of age, that’s what soldiers are made of. A regimental reunion is commemoration, respect, remembrance of belonging to an outfit, revival of valor, revival of traditions, but a course get together is joy, fun, and rejoicing the belonging to an era, a time well spent during thick and thin in Academy, a friendship which was natural, a sense of belonging to each other. A get-together of 58 years young, but retired and happily married soldiers of 73, was arranged on Tuesday evening ( 14 March, our commissioning day) on beautifully decorated lawns of ‘Topirukh’ was yet another event which embossed to our memories. It was a well organized event. Tribute to our dearest Anis Akbar and Asghar ( Jimmy) for anchoring the course and Asif Akhtar, ever sweet, for arranging the event . A little secret to arrange get together is that everybody who join pays for himself. No matter, how senior you are. A course mate will do anything for you but no compromise on tea break and event donation😂. That’s the tradition. This year get-together was different because we are all retired now. We served our country and gave our best. All of us stand proud for our services to the country. May Allah bless those brothers who left us for heavenly abode. Nature wanted a reason for us to live, so made us soldiers. Comradeship is what soldiers live for and die for.
Comradeship is different from companionship. It is rigor, which they undergo collectively, gel them into comradeship.
Cutting cake to celebrate the 37th years of our passing out was yet another resolve that We may have retired but we are soldiers for ever and we are brothers for ever. We will always be ready to defend our motherland. We will always be friend and comrades. 73 zindabad, Pakistan Army Zindabad and Our Love Pakistan Paindabad.