I joined the Pakistan Army in 1963. Those were good days; the army had pride and honour. The officers mostly travelled to office on bicycles, only a few officers had private cars. The staff cars were used only for official duty. Any senior officer passed over used to resign.
I joined 17 Punjab; the same from which Raja Aziz Bhatti got Nishan-e-Haider and Shafqat Baloch SJ for defending Hudiara in 1965.The nation was so proud of the army that a widow from Karachi sent her family gold necklace gifted to her by her mother-in-law to Major Shafqat Baloch for defending Lahore.
In the unit there were a lot of stories of unit’s performance under Brig Nowsherwan Khan of 1948 Kashmir battle. There was also a story of Subedar Lal Khan, who resigned in 1948 at Abbotabad but the story was still fresh in the minds of soldiers in 1965.
Subedar Lal Khan was a very honourable and brave JCO, who had fought well during the Second World War and was outstanding in all professional events including drill. In couple of years he was to be promoted as Subedar Major. One fine morning as duty JCO he was to mount the guard at unit quarter guard. While inspecting the guard he missed his steps and could not keep in step with the guard commander and NCO. After the guard mounting, he came straight to the Adjutant’s office, took off his cross belt, saluted and said, “Sir, I hereby resign my commission because I was outsmarted by the guard commander this morning.”
All efforts by the officers and SM failed to convince him not to resign as it was not such a big issue. But Sub Lal Khan stood firm and said if I continue to serve I shall not be able to face the NCO as well as my family. The only honourable thing for me is to go home with my honour and dignity.
This is the army I grew up with and fought two wars with India. There were no NROs. An officer must know when to quit honourably.
LT COL (retd) M SHAHBAZ THUTHAAL
Lahore
