aik dard kay rishtay mein munsalik hum donoo….
A Tribute to a Son of Cadet College, Hasanabdal
Today is my birthday. I was born to an officer of Merchant Navy named
Abdur Rauf Saggu on tenth April, 1955. It was Sunday and lady doctor
Mrs. Benjamin (RIP) had to leave her Easter Service in the church to
help bring me into this world, where the Departure Mark is now closer
than the Arrival Mark as I have turned fifty seven.
Believe you me, this is the saddest birthday of my life, because one
of my sons Maj Zaka ul Haq is lying trapped under an eighty foot river
of ice which has stopped and solidified into a hard mountain at
Siachin. Like many others, I was hoping and praying for the miracle of
his survival. And make no mistake if anyone who could make his way out
of this white granite, it was him… Zaka, my mischievous son. The hope
is fast fading away…..the scale of the rescue task is huge, and the
efforts impeded by the weather and terrain seem to be puny and
piddling…the only thing we are left to do is praying…praying for a
miracle. Still, let’s continue to pray!
Several times today, I was accosted, ‘Saggu Saheb tabiat theek hey?’
and I said, ‘Haan yar April he na, lagta he zara allergy ho gai he.’
Zaka, you’ve made me realize that I’m growing old and people can see
through the thin film of tears in my eyes and excessive sniffing.
There’s a pall of fragrant sadness over CCH today, although it’s the
tenth of April and the campus is blooming and beautiful like a
princess. CCH is an extraction from Paradise, it truly is! It’s a
special gift for people like Zaka.
Be sure Zaka if you have by now crossed to the other Kingdom, through
the magical power of the wishes of Abdalians we shall transport your
CCH to where you have gone and where it really belongs. There again
the Adju will give you Front Rolls and Rounds of the Sport Grounds.
The housemaster will reach for his cane for the smell of smoking and
cardamom, and I shall recommend you for an appointment this time. You
might even become the CC on the strength of your debating and sporting
skills. Listen up, smoking is bad for health!
From the roiling and swirling turbulence of hope and despair, I can
only babble out these few words at the moment.
Bye! My son! Pak Fauj Zindabad
WE ARE MANY, BUT ARE ONE
WE ARE ABDALIANS, SECOND TO NONE
United in grief
A Q Saggu
Deputy Vice Principal (coordination)
Cadet College, Hasanabdal
10 April 2012
A Q SAGGU
