Reflections | City Graves
Lahore Diaries
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While on Canal Road I decided to take the Muslim Town Underpass exit on a road that leads to Bilal Masjid
Opposite to the mosque gate as I stepped inside New Muslim Town Graveyard, scenes came flooding back ...
The name was Ali Sufyan Afaqi, a renowned journalist, writer and film maker
One of his significant works is a well kept journal of Pakistan Film Industry, titled Filmi Alif Laila
Sarguzasht digest started publishing Afaqi sahab's memoirs in monthly installments
Soon we got addicted to this monthly dose of Filmi Alif Laila during our college days
Sarguzasht kept publishing this work for decades, the diary of Afaqi's experiences from the film industry narrated in his signature anecdotal style
A tale of one thousand and one nights ...
As I stepped inside the New Muslim Town graveyard, scenes came flooding back
The romantic duo of Santosh Kumar and Sabiha Khanum and their flicks from 50s and 60s
Afaqi would tell you in Filmi Alif Laila how Santosh dominated the industry and charged a fee (amount) of his choice
He would tell you of the reaction of the media to the news of Sanoth's marriage with Sabiha
We come across Darpan, the hazel eyed brother in complete contrast to a sober and composed Santosh
Darpan who sported the playboy looks and broke countless hearts in his roles,
fell for the shy and sensitive Nayyar Sultana who ruled the film world as Malika e Jazbat of her times
In New Muslim Town Graveyard, dear reader, scenes came flooding back as I visited a few graves in a secluded corner
Syed Ishrat Abbas a.k.a Darpan and his wife Tayyaba Ishrat a.k.a Nayyar Sultana are buried side by side Two graves to the left is resting in peace Syed Musa Raza a.k.a Santosh Kumar
A little to the right on another plot lies buried our beloved Nasira Begum a.k.a Rani
Please say a silent prayer for the departed
یہ اجنبی سی منزلیں اوررفتگاں کی یاد
تنہائیوں کا زہرہے اورہم ہیں دوستو !
آنکھوں میں اڑ رہی ہے لٹی محفلوں کی دھول
عبرت سرائے دہر ہے اور ہم ہیں دوستو !
@ArfahZia I had originally posted the story on my FB timeline sometime back
Reproduced here in memory of your nana, as requested
May Allah bless his soul
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Martyred Buddies of Daska
19 Lancers
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A mini triangle in the center of Daska city is formed by Pasrur Road heading South East, Nisbat Road branching off to South West and Sambrial Road originating due North
A few paces away on Sambrial Road stands Shaheedan Wala Qabrastan
A compound just by the roadside announces that these are the tombs of the Shuhada of 19 Lancers who fought at Chawinda
An honour roll lists the martyred soldiers, two officers, five NCOs and twelve soldiers
Inside the compound are 10 graves arranged in pairs on 5 rows, painted blood red each bearing a photograph of a young energetic face, beaming with life
Buddies in war at Chawinda are now buddies in afterlife at Daska
This, dear reader, is their story ...
The photograph was taken at PMA after dress inspection and before advanced drill competition
The very next term on passing out I opted for Engineers as my first choice of arms but got Artillery, the second choice
That was the first time I missed a potential visit to Risalpur
🧵
There were more chances of visiting the 'Home of Engineers' but somehow I couldn't make it
Had I been there, I would have known about Capt Nisar Ahmed Shaheed
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Nisar of Gibraltar
M̵i̵s̵s̵i̵n̵g̵ ̵B̵e̵l̵i̵e̵v̵e̵d̵ Killed in Action
Captain Nisar was part of Op Gibraltar the botched venture aimed at infiltrations into IHK by a composite force of Pak Army regulars and mujahids
The details about the Op and Nisar’s force are scanty, not readily available and shrouded into mystery
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*images from Facebook*
Kargil: Tales & Bodies
From Across ‘The Line’
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The picture taken atop an observation bunker overlooks Batalik sector
The center is the spot where Indus enters Pakistan
The ridge line rising to the left has Indian posts
It was early spring, Kargil was still a thing of future
It was here in Batalik sector, away from the media glare of Tololing and Tiger Hill of Dras that the bloodiest of battles from the Kargil conflict were fought
My friend and coursemate Lt Faisal Ghumman fought his last battle here
He was posthumously awarded Sitara e Jurrat
The same yr as "Youngest officer in Shyok" I accompanied Maj Ahmed Tiwana, a Piffer officer deputed with NLI to Piun & beyond
I would leave but Maj Tiwana would stay
He later embraced shahadat in an artillery duel and was awarded Tamgha e Basalat
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pic via @leftofthepincer
سلسلۂ روزوشب نقش گرحادثات ہے کہ جسکا تارحریردورنگ کیاکیا پیرہن بُنتا، سنوارتا اور پھرمٹاڈالتاہے
1860میں کھینچاگیاولیم سمپسن کاایک گریفائٹ سکیچ ہےجس کی آڑی ترچھی لکیریں گئےوقتوں کےٹکسالی گیٹ کی جھلک دکھاتی ہیں
جو ایک در تھا عالم میں انتخاب!
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ٹکسالی گزرگاہ ۔ حصۂ دوم
کچھ شکستہ محرابوں اور ایک پلیا سےگزرتی رہگزراونچی اور جاندار فصیلوں سےجاملتی ہے
کہتےہیں کہ اکبربادشاہ نےشہرکی مغربی دیوارکو حملہ آوروں سےبچاؤکےلیےایک دفاعی فصیل کی طرزپراٹھایا تھا اور اس میں آمدورفت کے لیے صرف ایک در رکھا تھا
ٹکسالی گیٹ شہرلاہور کی مغربی سمت کاواحددروازہ تھا
پرانےلاہورکےکھوجی ماجد شیخ کہتےہیں کہ شہرکے شرقاً غرباً پھیلاؤسےپہلےلوہاری دروازے سے, جولاہورکےقدیم ترین دروازوں میں سےایک ہے, اندرجائیں توکوچہ کبابیاں کی ہمسائیگی میں جوچوک آتاہےوہ پرانے وقتوں کا چوک چکلہ ہےاوراس سےمشرقی سمت جو گزرگاہ نکلتی ہےوہ بازار چوک چکلہ کہلاتی تھی
لاہورکی جوبن پرآئی شام آسمان ابھی شفق رنگ تھاجب اس حویلی کی چھت پرجہاں کوُکوُز ڈین اپنےمہمانوں کاسواگت کرتاہےسانس متوازن کرنےاورتواچکن آرڈرکرنےہردوکےبیچ ہم نے اردگردنظردوڑائی
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کوئی کیوں کسی کالبھائےدل کوئی کیاکسی سےلگائےدل
وہ جو بیچتے تھے دوائے دل وہ دکان اپنی بڑھا گئے
ہمارے پیروں سے ابھی تک ان روشوں جھروکوں اورچوباروں کی رنگین دھول اڑتی تھی جنہیں دنیا ٹکسالی کے نام سے جانتی ہے
تب یادداشت کے پردے پر چناب کے اس پارسے ایک بھولی بسری داستان طلوع ہوئی
توصاحبو! بہت دن نہیں بیِتے کہ کاتب کے لکھے حروف کی سیاہی ابھی تازہ ہے
کانوانوالی سرکارکی نگری سے کچھ کچھ شما ل کی سمت جچ دوآب کے زرخیزمیدانوں میں اس راستے کی قربت میں جو بل کھاتالڑھکتا کوٹلہ چلتا چلا جاتاہے ہم ذرا دم لینے کو ٹھہرے تھے ۔ آنجہانی اٹل بہاری واجپائی سے پرویزمشرف کے زبردستی کے مصافحے نے رزم گاہی ماحول کو کچھ نرم کردیا تھا