Prime Minister Imran Khan shared his childhood memories of the 1965 India-Pakistan war while addressing the Defence Day ceremony held in Islamabad on Thursday.
While paying homage to the martyrs of Pakistan Armed Forces, he admitted, “If I hadn’t joined the cricket team, I would probably be a retired army officer.”
Discussing how the people of Lahore reacted to the 1965 war, he said, “I can never forget scenes of Sept 1965 because I saw fear on the faces of my parents. They had no idea what was to happen. On the 7th of September back then, there was a meeting at our house and our family set up a “guard” against Indian Paratroopers.”
“I remember also grabbing a weapon. And wanting to go and fight and I was sent back by the family saying I was too young. I got very dishearted to not take part in that ‘civil guard’,” he added, recalling that he had even picked up his father’s gun to fight in the civil troops when he was only 12-year-old.
On a lighter note, he told the attendees, “The Indian paratroopers never landed, but my cousins in their zeal almost attacked one of our own relatives.”
The premier stated that “there was a wave (in Lahore and) everyone stood with the army. Everyone wanted to be with them.”