The significance of the month of March is huge in Pakistan’s life. And it is huge in my life too.
It was the month of March in 1947 that I left the soil of what is East Punjab now. My examinations had ended, and I had been promoted to class III when my father arrived from Ghotki (Sindh) on leave and in a matter of days decided to take us along to Ghotki on return, in view of the tense atmosphere in Batala where my school was. I still have sweet and vivid memories of our chants in the streets of Batala: Laye Kar rahein gaye Pakistan (No stopping Pakistan).
I was not to go back to our village and fields on the edge of Batala city.
In March 1947 I was admitted in Government Primary School Ghotki. In March 1949 I was admitted in Government High School Shikarpur. Thereafter I kept climbing upwards every March.
In March 1962 I was made Magazine Editor of Daily Kohistan by its Managing Director Mr Enayatullah. Before the month of March was over I was summoned by my boss into his office to be told that I was to leave immediately for Karachi to act as Resident Manager there.
Seven years later, the most memorable and consequential March arrived, not only in my but also the nation’s life. General Yahya Khan snatched power from his boss, Field Marshal Ayub Khan, and promulgated Martial Law number: 2. Two years later in March 1971, military action against Awami League was launched in East Pakistan that was to lead the Nation to the dark day of December 16, 1971.
It was again in March 1977 that the controversial elections held by ZAB led to the PNA’s nationwide moment that was to pave the way for the emergence of General Zia ul Haque as Pakistan’s third military ruler. It was in the month of March 1979 that the death sentence of ZAB was finally confirmed to be carried out on April 4, 1979. At that time I was heading the Northern offices of the Country’s largest advertising agency Orient. The Managing Director of the agency had been my personal friend since 1962.
It was on March 18, 1981 that I met my boss and long-time friend, the Late S.H Hashmi, in Shezan Restaurant Mall Road Lahore, and told him that I was resigning immediately. Hashmi Sahib did his best to persuade me away from my decision but I had made up my mind to go on my own. I was to launch Midas on June 4, 1981 with Mian Nawaz Sharif presiding over the function in PC Lahore, with Raja Zafar ul Haque the-then Federal Minister for Information as Chief Guest.
When I am writing this Column, it is March 29, 2017 we have celebrated March 23 this year with great fervour and expectations. Let me add here that it was on March 23, 1956 that Pakistan had become Islamic Republic.
Will March 2017 end without delivering a knockout punch to a decadent order—a punch that will endear the Judiciary of Pakistan to the hearts of the people of Pakistan forever ?
NOTE: It was in March 1992 that Pakistan won the World Cup.
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