Third Term as uppers was fairly comfortable but brought wrath from the Seniors who did not spare us, probably due to the reason that they did not get a chance to @*&^%$$@ us in the first term since Company system was then abolished. With the re-institution of the company system, the Seniors thought that the uppers should be handled appropriately before they enter the fourth term. So there were mid-night fall-ins. But then gradually things eased and we got along well for the remaining period.
Assault Course was the major event of the term besides entering into the club life of PMA. This was an inter company competition and each company was hellbent to outscore the rest by carrying out rehearsals day and night - finding out ways and means to push forward the weaklings.
Burma Bridge did not lead to Burma - but it looked like so
Jamal Zia climbing the 9-feet wall
Salim Bari (late) - standing on extreme left seldom appears in any shared photos - this is the only photo I have of him
Besides the Assault Course, there was yet another tough event: The nine miles run in full military gear:
Getting ready for the 9 mile run
Away from battle dress, Inter Company Drill Competition was a rather sober event, though requiring the same zeal and resilience form all of us. This being the first competition for our course that was organized on the four terms basis, that is the juniors, inters, uppers and final termers marching under the same banner. Thus for the first time we felt the presence of the company appointments and saw them working hard to win the competition. For us in Tariq Company, it was jubilant since we won the drill competition.
The Lighter Moments - Tipu Uppers on Kalabagh Excursion
Taya Samad with his platoon mates of Tariq-1
One of the major attraction of Third Term: Para Jumping
Janjua leading the Junior division
Exercise Pani Pat was the third term military exercise. There was no pani (water) to wade through being severe winters which sometimes made it difficult to open the small pack to take out the frozen lunch with frozen fingers. I remember trying to chew my lunch of a packed fish and roti 'burger' but I could not as it was all frozen.
The third term, which was rather action packed with assault course, 9 miles run, inter company drill competition, exercise Pani Pat and the end term break with selected cadets going for para jumping to Peshawar and frogman ship to Karachi, came to an end with the passing out parade of 54 PMA Long Course and announcement of appointments for our course for the final term just a month ahead.
For leading the junior division, selected cadets were given cross belts to lead the junior division. I too was selected to lead Tariq company, but the camera club OIC did not allow me to attend the drill and thus this opportunity was lost.
Zaheer-Janjua-Alvi
Akhtar Abbas Janjua got the honour to lead the junior division and taking the junior division out of the drill square after the passing out course marched out. Thus the third term came to an end and most of the course went away to their homes assured of the final term.
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