We shall always remember you

It is almost 41 years since we joined PMA and have lost some very fine course mates, the sweet memories of whom shall always be cherished by all of us. And it is with very heavy heart that on each parting, I add a new photograph to continue to remember the ones who are no more. This section of the website is exclusively dedicated to those 20 colleagues of ours as a tribute to their comradeship, dedication, devotion to the Army and for being part of us.

We do not know the why of such tragedies and mournful partings, but we can only take satisfaction from the fact that having played their part in the Allah Almighty's overall plan for them, all of them are finally with their Creator. And we are certain sure that Allah Almighty will be happy with all of these fine officers who have left behind their good deeds and memories. May Allah bless their departed souls and rest them in peace. Ameen.

This section would remain incomplete unless we contribute to the memories of these fine officers who were once by our side, enjoying the colours of life. May we request everyone who were close to them to share their memories and photographs.

 Arshad Aziz was the first casualty of our course. After relegation he became part of 56 PMA L/C. A group of about 40 to 50 cadets went to Murree on excursion trip on one of the week end and on their way back they met an accident and in which many cadets were perished including Arshad.

Muhammad Asif remembers him in these words as he was his platoon mate in first term.  "Arshad Aziz was in our platoon (Tariq-I) and relegated in 1st term on physical grounds as he was very week in PT (A CASUALTY CAUSED DUE TO ------ATTITUDE OF Gen G. M Malik, the then Bn Comd). Arshad was very humble, quiet by nature and through gentle man, in short span of 6 months which he spent with Tariq-I, he became friend of almost all platoon mates. This is what I know about him."

 Captain Saleem Bari was a very well read, intelligent and thriving officer. Once when myself and Khalid Javed were going to Abbottabad, he had requested for Mag magazine and was very happy when we delivered it to him on our return. He was commissioned in 27C and was seconded to Saudi Arabia as one of the chosen young bright and intelligent officer. He was stationed in Tabuk and was enjoying his life when he met a serious car accident which crippled him beyond any hope. He remained admitted in a military hospital in Saudi Arabia for over a year but was finally repatriated to Pakistan. Unfortunately no one looked after him from his family and it was his unit which looked tendered him till this beautiful young man finally lost his life to his death. A superb officer and a gentleman lost forever. May Allah bless his soul. Ameen.

 Major Safdar Jahanzeb was not only a dashing personality both as an officer and gentleman, but was also an ace pilot of Pakistan Army Aviation. Son of Brigadier Bangash, who at the entry of the course in PMA was the FF Centre Commandant.  I know him very intimately since he was my first term platoon and roommate (Khalid - 4). Right from day one I found him very friendly, forthright, honest, dedicated and mature. He always helped me in day to day routine of the first term and brought back deliciously cooked roasted drumsticks and other eatables on weekends after visiting his home. After the second term when the company system was brought back, he went to the Second Pakistan Battalion. Upon commissioning he joined his father's FF regiment - but always wanted to explore the vast sky like a bird. 

Safdar (sitting center) on the first day of Ex Yarmuk part of Khalid-4

So he joined Army Aviation and excelled to the zenith (Rauf and Safdar smiling above - photo provided by Rauf) . For his exceptional flying skills, he was taken as instructor at the Pakistan Air Force Academy, Risalpur. He would have risen to still higher glories had his life allowed him. We lost this wonderful officer in an air crash. May Allah bless his soul. Ameen. 

 Lieutenant Colonel Saleem Akhtar was a quiet officer by nature - but very loyal and courteous. His love for his family was fathomless. In late 90s, while he was enjoying holidays up in the north along the KKH and was sitting beside a gushing river, his daughter fell in to the river. Not knowing how to save his drowning daughter, and disregarding the consequences, he jumped into the river. But the river water was too strong for even the best of the swimmers. In seconds, both the father and daughter were swept away and vanished into the fuming foamy water. Another friend, coursemate and a brave man was lost.  May Allah bless the departed soul. Ameen

Lieutenant Colonel Zahid Rasul was yet another fine officer of the course. We regret that he too left us too early - leaving us sad and mourned. May Allah bless his soul. Ameen.

Lieutenant Colonel Agha Hussain was one of the brilliant and promising officers of our course - a CSUO in PMA joined the corps of Signals. For quite sometime, he was suffering from cancer and finally he parted with us for his heavenly abode a few years ago. May Allah bless the departed soul. Ameen

Mr Khurshid Ahmed, a towering figure of around 6 feet 3 inches,  joined us in PMA but later withdrawn in the second term with 56 PMA Long Course - which is why most of us have a blurred memory of him. Thereafter, he went to Saudi Arabia and stayed there for good about 15-20 years. On his return, he opened his own oil tanker company in Karachi and was operating a number of oil tankers throughout Pakistan. Once I met him in Karachi and he seemed in high spirits and talked good of his life and thriving business. We lost him too awhile ago. May Allah bless his soul. Ameen.

Lieutenant Colonel Ishraque Ahmed Mubashir was quiet, simple and extremely loyal officer. A few years back he suffered from speech paralysis. One could not make out till one really found out of his disability which he managed with great guts and determination. Last year was the last year of his life when his heart didn't support him anymore and he passed away quietly, leaving us really mourned and sad. We sincerely pray that his soul rests in peace. Ameen.

We have lost another friend, Maj Ijaz (ASC) on Sat last. He was found dead in a hospital at Lahore. Burial has been done on Tuesday (22 July 2008) at Sialkot.  Details of his death are still unknown.  I for myself knew him since we both got posted to Karachi on commissioning and met on a number of occasions. I met him last in Lahore in March in Zahir's office and I told him that it has been ages since I met him. I never knew I shall never meet him again. Maj Ijaz Ahmad was an active member of the 55th Club in Lahore and participated wholeheartedly in all the planned gatherings. May departed soul rest in peace, Ameen.

24 May 2009 robbed from us yet another comrade - this time it was Mumtaz - who battled for his life for years very bravely with a smile on his face. He was buried in his ancestral village near Jhelum on 25th May around 4 pm. To pay homage to the lost friend, Namaz-e-Janaza was offered at Malir and Rawalpindi, and a lot of course mates attended. His personality was so dynamic and lively that he would be remembered till the last of us lasts. Read more Mumtaz: Mumtaz Hussain - a jolly good fellow no more.

14 September 2011: Today we lost yet another course mate and a a hearty comrade - Major Syed Sibtain Raza. He was suffering was heart disease and went through open heart surgery and was on ventilator for almost eight hours. Sibtain later expired  late at night.

He joined us from 54 PMA Long Course and was always a friend, cooperating hand and spreading smiles whenever around. Baqir Ali Zaidi in his e-mail remembers Sibtain and says, "Maj Sibtain was a person with very pleasant disposition. He was always the centre of attraction in any gathering that he attended. It is indeed a great loss, not only for his family, but also for the entire PACHWENJA community."

Nauman Siddiqui writes in his e-mail, "A sad day indeed Sibtain had a loving nature and always tried to smile even in adversity, witty and a good friend. May ALLAH grant him peace and succor to his family."

Tariq Fazal writes, "Sibtain will be remembered among other things for his extraordinary courage to be able to smile in the face of most trying of circumstances and thus often infuse courage and confidence amongst his comrades as well. God may grant his family the courage to bear this irreparable loss with fortitude and rest his noble soul in eternal peace. Ameen." 

We had just started off writing memories of those who left us awhile ago when very recently we lost another brilliant comrade - Major General Javed Sultan Khan On 6 February 2008, he along with two brigadiers and a number of other officers and men embraced shahadat when his helicopter crashed minutes after take off from Kohat. This was not only an irreparable loss to Pakistan Army but for all of us since in his departure we lost a exceptionally brilliant comrade.

Read more on Javed Sultan:
Remembering Javed Sultan
Chelum Javed Sultan

 Sunday the 5th of December 2010 was yet another sad day for all of as on this day today we lost another comrade: Major Ghulam Mustafa Maan in Lahore. Maan was just very happy last week when he married off his son. But it did not take him long to survive the happiness. Let us all pray for his blessings and for the family to sustain his parting with fortitude. May God bless his soul. Ameen Those who knew him and were close to him may send details about him to me so that I add how he is remembered by all of us here in this section (Thank you - Jalal)

Zahir Khan remembers Maan and says, "Major Maan had always been an active member of the 55th Family at Lahore and perhaps most participative colleague in the social activities held during my stay there. He would always be known for his seemingly over simplistic but direct (rather head on) and persistent approach to the issues of life. He was always a lovely company and source of some light moments for the friends and had great heart to take on all humorous remarks on him. He had a great confidence in himself and nothing was impossible to him. He was looking for a great deal of aspirations in his children and tried to facilitate their career progression. He took a great effort to get the best match for his son and must have been a very happy father on his wedding last week. Alas, he could hardly enjoy the happy moments of family's addition and left all his loving family members and friends in a state of shock. May Allah grant eternal peace for the departed soul and grant strength to his family members to meet the challenges of this irreparable loss."

Baqir Zaidi writes in his mail,"Untill last year Maj Mustafa Maan has been visiting me quite regularly. But for last few months we had not been in touch. As rightly mentioned by Brig Zahir, he had great passions for his children, their career and their life in time to come. He once discussed this with me too.

On Sunday, in the morning, he suddenly had an attack of asthma (he was asthmatic since quite long) which did not spare him enough opportunity to take necessary medication. Those who could make to his funeral (thanks to timely email Brig Jalal and sms from Maj Abbas and Col Ateeq) were Shirazi, Ateeque, Mehmood Tariq, Qadri (Bait ul Maal), Arshad Khokhar, Abbas, Tariq (54 PMA), Khalid Javed, Nauman Siddiqui, Ashraf, Tariq Fazal and Najam Butt (pardon me if any one is missed). A floral wreath was by us on behalf of the 55th L/C."

May Allah Karim in His Infinite Mercy Grant Peace to Mustafa MAAN and JANNAT-UL-FIRDOUS be his permanent abode. He was one of us and shall remain so for ever, each one of us is grieved and praying for the departed brother like his family is doing. May ALLAH KARIM Grant fortitude and Istiqamat to his family and may they always indulge in pious deeds to be a persistent SADQA-E-JARIA for him. ALLAH KARIM HM SB KO APNE KRME KHUSOOSI SE AISA BANA DE JAISA TUO CHAHTA HAI AUR HMEIN PROPER TAYARI KI TAUFIQ BHI ATAA FRMA. Aameen. AKHTAR N JANJUA & family

I just heard the sad demise of Mustafa Maan. Maan was a great friend and a very simple soul. He was my Platoon mate, I and Allahdad will always share jokes with him and Maan will always make funny comments in his own style. What a time and how quickly it passes. This was a very painful news. May Almighty Allah rest Mustafa Maan's soul in peace and grant strength and saber-e-jameel to the family to bear this irreparable loss, Aameen!  Jamil Canada

It is, with very heavy heart, announced that our dear comrade, colleague and course mate Asif Amin has passed away at Karachi, Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. Asif  has long been suffering from ailment and had recently been found by Wasif and was invited to attended the course get together of the Karachi Chapter on 20th April 2011.

 The year 2012 has not brought any good news for us so far. Right on the first day, we saw Asif Amin departing from us. Now today in the morning, one of the most noblest, humble and decent colleague of ours Shahid Aslam bid farewell and left for the heavenly abode. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un.

Shahid has been suffering from prostate cancer for quite sometime, but he had improved a lot in recent past. It was lately that it was discovered that cancer has attacked other parts of his body and was in critical condition for quite sometime now. All colleagues in Canada took very good care of him, but could not stop him from boarding the heavenly flight. In the photograph on the left, Shahid stands smiling with his typical smile on extreme left with Naveed, Jamil and Tahir. May Allh bless the departed soul in peace up in the heavens and give strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen

Our elderly Major Samad bid farewell and left for the heavenly abode. Inna lillahi wa inna ilayhi raji'un. Taya Samad as he was lovingly and respectfully called had a heart attack at the breakfast table today morning, 22 February and did not take long to proceed to his journey towards heavens. May Allah bless the departed soul in peace up in the heavens and give strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen. He was buried in Lahore after Isha prayers.

On 26th February 2013, Our dear friend and comrade Shafiq Anwar bid us farewell and left for his heavenly abode. He was suffering from liver cancer and was admitted in CMH, Rawalpindi. After retirement, Shafiq was inducted in NADRA in 2003 and was still working there. He has been buried in DHA Islamabad Phase II graveyard. He was building his house in DHA Islamabad - but could not see its completion. May Allah bless the departed soul in peace up in the heavens and give strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen.

 Our dear course mate Major Shams (Engineers) passed away on Sunday 24 Nov 2013 after prolonged illness - His namaz-e-janaza and burial was held at Askari-10 mosque / graveyard, Rawalpindi. A large number of course mates including Zaheer ul Islam attended.

Mourning his death and remembering Shams, this is how others remembered him:

Mohd Ramli Othman Al Faatehah (Malaysia). May Allah bless his soul ..Allahyarham Sham was one of my close buddies in PMA. Well mannered and a polished-gentleman. May Allah grant you a place in jannah Sham.

Mujeeb Khan I was fortunate enough to attend the funeral of my very dear platoon mate. We both served together at PMA & share sweet memories. A cheerful personality, who always met with tremendous warmth. He played his innings very well. May ALLAH S.A.W rest his soul in peace & grant his bereaved family enough strength to bear this irreparable loss. Ameen.

Syed Ali Baqar Shams, not simply my course-mate, but also my unit officer when we served together in one of the units on an FWO project. An extremely supportive and generous person who welcomed me with open arms when I landed at Abbottabad to join the unit. I and my family stayed with them for almost a month, before I was able arrange a rented house for myself.  Doubtlessly, AN OFFICER AND A GENTLEMAN and a NICE SOUL too. Will ever remain grateful to him and his family for their generosity and support and will miss him for ever. May his soul rest in peace and may ALLAH SWT grant strength and fortitude to his family to bear this irreparable loss. AAMEEN.

Muhammad Jamil Akhtar (Canada) Inna Lillah e Waa Inna Ilaihee Raajioon. Shamas was a great course mate and a loving friend. A gentleman indeed. May Almighty Allah Rest His Soul in Peace and grant strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss, Aameen.

Rizwan was one of the jolliest course mate of our course. wherever he was there there was laughter and smiles. While he made everyone laugh, from inside he was suffering a deadly disease. His last interaction with me was for a specific reason: To sit down and records all those funny anecdotes of the course he vividly remembered and mimicked.

But perhaps that was not to be so. I received his death news while many of us were attending funeral of mother of Jamal Zia in Islamabad. And it was already very late in the evening. So some of us dashed to his house in Askari 11 and were just in time to attend his namaz-e-janaza.  May Almighty Allah Rest His Soul in Peace and grant strength to his family to bear this irreparable loss.

 The news of death of our dear Javed Baloch really struck all of us with a big surprise as he wasn't suffering from any ailment and had been seen hale and hearty just a few days before his sudden death on 1 December 2015 after a cardiac arrest. He breathed his last around 10 AM and his body was taken to his ancestral village near Sargodha for burial. A large number of course mates from Lahore and Rawalpindi attended his funeral ceremony. 

Read a detailed post on Javed Baloch


Updated: 5 December 2015