I have been writing about every fallen comrade of our course so that their memories remain ingrained in our memory chain. Today, just a wild thought came to my mind: Who would write my epitaph and share on this forum when it is my time to leave? Finding no answer to my query, I thought of writing my own epitaph of a person I have known since my childhood till date: And that happens to be Jalal Hameed Bhatti. So, I write down my own epitaph from the very beginning till the end.
سب کہاں کچھ لالہ و گل میں نمایاں ہو گئیں
خاک میں کیا صورتیں ہوں گی کہ پنہاں ہو گئیں
Jalal was born in August 1955 on the seventh day at Lahore in a family that was more of cops and less of soldiers. Yet, he decided to join the army for the September 1965 war left a very deep impact on his thought process and liking for the army. However, before the war, the liking for army took its root in him by a pile of army uniforms, medals, batons and headgear of his paternal uncle Major Zafar Ullah Khan who was commissioned in the British Army in 1942 in the Punjab Regiment and fought many battles at Burma Front. During the war, he developed some sort of allergy which took his life in 1955, days before his promotion. And then came the 1965 war. For him it was a life course determinant. From then on, he did not think of anything other than joining the army. During the 1971 war he was in the first year at the Government College, Lahore and joined the Ravian Cadet Club and the Civil Defense division of the college during the 1971 war. This further cemented his aspirations to join the army.
And then the time came when he applied for the 55th PMA Long Course. He recalled taking a written test and the interview at the Fortress Stadium Lahore. During the interview, the interviewing officer asked him who Dulla Bhatti was, thinking a Bhatti would know who another famous Bhatti was. But unfortunately, his general knowledge failed him to answer the question, much to the surprise of the interviewer. Had this question been asked from Nauman, Khalid Javed or Shirazi, they would have surely answered the question correctly. However, this did not bar him from sailing through to the ISSB and finally getting selected for 55th PMA Long Course.
Herein under are the memories of Jalal with 55 PMA Long Course while in PMA:
Khalid 4 with Platoon commander Captain Ghulam Nabi (above) - an informal platoon GTG below
Ex Yarmuk: Pitching tent - This photo was published in PMA journal Qiyadat
Ex Yarmuk (Kot Najib Ullah) K-4 platoon with Captain Ghulam Nabi-Jalal 4th from left
First Eid in PMA - Jalal wrote the above greeting card on platoon notice board
Eid day: Khalid Javed, Janjua, Captain Naqvi, Jalal, Jamal
Battered faces after the 2nd term Boxing event
‘An Engineered Photo’ This photograph of some of us was being taken in the First Pakistan Battalion Mess as normal front facing shot – but Jalal suggested to make it ‘informal’ looking photo as they were in a conversation. So, they all turned right and left gesturing our hands (you can feel the artificiality of gestures of their hands) while they were ‘shot’ – it turned out to be a good photo.
Jalal with his second term roommate Khalid Javed
Sargodha 1980: A young catering member peeps (second from left) to see General Zia ul Haq signing the visitors' book
Assignments abroad: Above - Saudi Arabia (1983-85) Shaking hands with visiting Pakistan Defence Minister Talpur, 
A comparative group photo of some of K4 colleague as compiled by Jalal at Nathiagali 2015
Receiving first prize in calligraphy from commandant Brigadier Ahmed Kamal
Ex Qiyadat (Final term): Shahid, Masood, Mujeeb, Younas and Jalal in a 9 feet trench
Final Term Tariq 1 Group Photo
The Convocation march in
Weeks before the passing out, GC Ghulam Hassan Raad came to Jalal and started enquiring about his marks in various examinations. While he gave him the information, Raad did not tell him why he was asking for the information. The mystery was only resolved when the term commander Major Khalid Masood called Jalal in his office and told him that he had secured first position in the humanities group and that he would also be getting the AEC medal. And then Jalal knew why Raad was asking me the details – as he stood second in the humanities group. Here Jalal narrated something about him and his late father. Though all five brothers always did very well in our studies, none ever topped any exam. And whenever the results were announced, his father would always say that those who obtained first positions were also humans like them – so why couldn’t they too win a first position. This in the backdrop, Jalal saved the day to surprise his father. And when his name was announced for the award of AEC Medal for securing first position in the Humanities Group, his father confided later on that a spark went through him of elation and pride for his son had finally won him a medal and the first position in my studies – something he long cherished to listen to.
The medal was awarded by the chief guest General Muhammad Sharif, the Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff Committee (with DOS Col Ameen in background).
The Days after in Uniform:
Below: Attending Command and Staff Course at Tehran, Iran (1991-92)
A unique honour: Lieutenant Colonel Jalal’s unit being bid farewell by Dr A Q Khan at Kahuta – 14 February 1996
Muhammad Abdul Qadir Khan Shahid was seriously ill in his last days. Jalal arranged two visits of platoon mates to Shahid's residence in Rawalpindi. In the photo below, Shahid flips through the K4 Memorabilia Jalal had compiled of his platoon
Farewell to arms - 5 September 2008
Course get to gather group photos
Lahore at Khalid Javed's daughter marriage
Revisiting PMA (with first /second term company Khalid - 2010
Ge to gather Mangla
over page Khalid 4 and Beyond: A memorabilia by Jalal
Get to gather Abbottabad
An Evening with Lieutenant Colonel Talat Umer, SJ: Some of K-4 / Tariq-1 officers of Lahore Chapter had a dinner with Lieutenant Colonel Talat Umer, SJ at Defence Club Lahore on 20 June 2013 and reminisced memories of the days of the fourth term. Dinner and the get together was arranged courtesy Nauman
Seen above are (L to R): Iqbal, Tasawar, Jalal, Lieutenant Colonel Talat Umer, SJ, Nauman, Khalid Javed, Shirazi
Installation of Jalal as Colonel of the Battalion, he raised and commanded - 2013
An Evening with Brigadier Ghulam Nabi: Some K-4 officers with Brigadier Ghulam Nabi at the Jungle Restaurant, DHA-Phase I, Islamabad on 23 July 2013 and reminisced memories of the days of first and second term when Captain Nabi shepherded them.
Decorated descendants: Father (Kings Police Medal) - Son (President Police Medal) - Grandson
Jalal, a born Leo, was always looking forward to keeping the course together. He made the course website, which was perhaps the first of its kind by any other courses. It was this website which was seen by our dearest friend, the late Dr. Shaikh Aamir Mansoor who then joined the fraternity and Lahore Chapter. Later the website was converted into a Blog as maintaining websites is a rather tedious and awesome job.
Switching over to the Blog writing was a suggestion from Asghar Javed Shirazi in 2010, who by that time was a thriving blogger and suggested Jalal to start writing personal blogs. Thus, Jalal initiated his first blog and named it "Jalals Pages." But Shirazi, by now his mentor in guiding him how to write blog posts, suggested renaming it as JahoJalal. Thus, Jalal's first travel and multi-dimensional blog surfaced as JahoJalal, which still continues. Thereafter, Jalal initiated many other blogs, but the main focus remained on JahoJalal (Though all blogs will also fade away one by one after him as the subscriptions will expire and no one to renew).
He later compiled memorabilia of his platoons Khalid-4 and Tariq-1. Taking a cue from this effort, he decided to compile similar memorabilia for the entire course. And had made a draft which was presented during get together of the course at Kalar Kahar. Unfortunately barring a dozen or a little more, no one showed any interest in his effort. Dejected by the poor response, he shelved the project for good. He then, however, continued to update the course blog till his very last day. However, it may continue to be on the air because it is not a paid blog and may be there for long unless detected by the host platform, finding it dormant.
Before leaving this epitaph, an epitaph by Rumi sums it all:
Death Of Rumi.... 💎
When I die
when my coffin
is being taken out
you must never think
I am missing this world
don’t shed any tears
don’t lament or
feel sorry
I'm not falling
into a monster’s abyss
When you see
my corpse is being carried
don’t cry for my leaving
I'm not leaving
I'm arriving at eternal love
When you leave me
in the grave
don’t say goodbye
remember a grave is
only a curtain
for the paradise behind
You’ll only see me
descending into a grave
now watch me rise
how can there be an end
when the sun sets or
the moon goes down
It looks like the end
it seems like a sunset
but in reality, it is a dawn
when the grave locks you up
that is when your soul is freed ................
How would you remember Jalal!
When Jalal shared the idea of writing his own epitaph, he confided the idea with Shirazi, who certainly did not like the idea. But when reviewing his thoughts on the true realities of life, he thought it could be done. And then he gave his candid opinion about Jalal, which is shared as under:
Good man Jalal Hamed Bhatti – historian and curator of 55 PMA Long Course as I like to call him - has documented an epitaph and published it on his 55 PMA Long Course website turned into a blog where he has written about all comrades who have left for heavenly abode already. In an effort to be part of the epitaph before Alzheimer completely takes over, here is my part.
As a fellow blogger, I ‘must comment’ though I am at a loss for words when I think about a person like Jalal. His sons say, ‘Abu ji, tusi great hoo.’ And I tend to agree with them. Jalal Hameed is a great human, God-fearing, a good friend, and very caring.
My first memory is when Jalal became SGC. Maybe it was due to his good handwriting or his methodical and meticulous nature. What I can never forget from our early days together in PMA was his physical determination. Be it in PT ground, exercises, or any other physical activity, he was steadfast and resilient.
He has written a ‘biography’ of the course; a very painstaking exercise. I only wish that some miracle happens and his work comes out in print one day. In addition, he has maintained a complete list of all 55 PMA members (including addresses and phone numbers, and thumb-size photos.) Jalal has also been running a website (and now a blog) for the course where he has been putting up most things regarding the course. Every member of the 55 PMA family (and their children) is there on the course blog.
Over the last 48 years of our association, I have discovered his passions for photography, traveling (and travel writing), calligraphy, and philately to name just a few. These days he is researching on Quranic teachings and highlighting the salient points on his blog titled Islam: My Ultimate Decision. May his efforts (Islam: My Ultimate Decision) be one of the causes of his salvation in both the worlds?
May all those who have left for their heavenly abode be blessed with Jannat ul Firdous. Ameen. Please refer to the Reference Page to read about all those of us who have left us midway for their Heavenly abode.
1 comments:
JHB, I will take some 100 years to add on this but the good thing is that I have started.
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