Annual Get Together 2013 - Abbottabad

The Annual Get Together for year 2013 was held on 27-28 April at Abbottabad. All arrangements for the get together were courtesy Lt Gen Salim Nawaz. The get together included a dinner at the Piffers Officers' Mess on night 27th April - while a brunch was arranged at the Piffers Golf Club on 28th April. The pictorial coverage of the event has been divided into two parts covering each day of get together separately as under

The night show ended with a cup of green tea on the green lawns of the Piffers' Mess as can be seen in the photos above. The next day on 28 April, the participants again joined together on the Piffers' Golf Club for a heart brunch and a wonderful band display.

 Salim Nawaz and Faheem Khawar made a delayed entry into the venue and were greeted warmly 

The Group Photo of 2013 Get together

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Annual Get Together, 2009, Abbottabad, Day-2

The day on 12th April 2009 started with a usual golfers' morning. Though the attendance was not as rich as 2008, still more than 50 officers and their families made it to the second day. While the golfers were away, the rest of the non-golfers and families were taken to the PT School for a spectacular Paragliding show and a demo on Unarmed Combat.

Upon return of the families from the PT School, putting competition for the ladies and children, folk dances by recruits of the Piffers Centre, mouth watering brunch - served with sweet and sour Lassi, lots of laughter and photos followed.

The prize distribution ceremony was the last event to award prizes ladies-children and male golfers and participants of musical chair. The best part of the ceremony was the departure from the usual and instead of calling the seniors members, Hashim and Ikram Kiani were invited for prize distribution. For giving away prizes to the ladies and girls, Begum Javed Sultan was honoured to be the chief guest for the day and called upon to give away the prizes. Before the prize distribution ceremony, Munawar Ahmed Sulehria headed a joint "Fateha" for all the deceased course mates, near and dear ones of those alive and a prayer for the love and happiness for all course mates, their families and relatives. 

While winding up, the course secretary Asif commended and lauded the efforts of Ghazanfar and the Piffers Centre for making the gathering a memorable and cherished event forever. Asif must also be complemented for taking a departure from the usual for selecting the Chief Guests and event guests and also assisting Ghazanfar for arranging and coordinating the show.

The wonderful two days at Abbottabad ended with a group photo and a hearty thank you to Ghazanfar for having arranged two of the best events consecutively, that is 2008 and this year 2009. 

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Annual Get Together 2009 - Abbottabad (Day-1)

It was Abbottabad once again on 11th and 12th April 2009, when a large number of us got together with our families and grandchildren to cherish the memories of those two years we spent together in PMA some 34 years ago. Though this year, there were some faces missing due to some commitments, the show was nevertheless spectacular and incredible.

And need less to mention that it was Ghazanfar once again who made this great gathering possible and extending a warm hospitality to all of us for two days. His contribution will always be remembered and cherished as there would never be a gathering of this magnitude nor arrangements like the ones The Piffers made for us. Its Three Cheers for him and his Centre. At the same time we should not forget the course secretary Asif, who was also a main pillar for coordinating all nitty gritties and assisting Ghazanfar in organizing this mega event.

The event was spread over two days as previously - but this time there was no Tattoo Show.

Day-1 started as usual - the dinner at the Piffers Mess. Oh but before that reaching to the guest room duly escorted, changing over and then rushing to the mess. And it was already full with familiar faces, lady wives and lots of children - someone remarked that this year there are more children than the last year. The food was sizzling and plenty both in quantity and in variety. Everyone seemed to be doing just the right kind of justice (don't get alarmed, no lawyers were on the road except Farooq the Poet who was well within the mess and controllable). 

After the food, Ghazanfar, the host, welcomed all and everyone cheered for his efforts to have us gathered once again to celebrate the 34th year of our passing out since 1977.

That was all for the night of Day-1. Day 2 follows with a usual golfers' morning, followed by brunch and much more.

Day-2

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Annual Get Together - 2008, Abbottabad (Day-2)

More than 60 officers along with their families and children came to Abbottabad to share the joy and fun that was artfully laid out by Ghazanfar Ali and the Piffers Centre - a two day event that will be cherished and remembered by all of us for as long as we are. I would specially like to mention of Aslam, who had come all the way from Bhahawalpur, changing buses and hiring taxis to attend the gathering - bravo!!

The proceeding of the day included a 9-Holes match for the golfers, putting competition for the ladies and children, a power-gliding demo, band display, folk dances by recruits of the Piffers Centre, mouth watering brunch, lots of laughers and photos.

After the golfers, the first to enter was the smartly dressed brass band of the Piffers Centre. The marched into the ground and came close to the specially allocated space for them to occupy it for the day.

While the golf match was in progress and the ladies were busy in the putting competition, there appeared a lone power glider right in front of the arena and attracted every one's attention. The glider circled the arena and came very close before pulling up and finally landed into the lush green patch in front of the visitors' stand which was cordoned off on both side by equi-spaced over hundred years old towering cedar trees. Children and officers both went to the glider and congratulated him for his superb gliding ability while the glider answered various questions put forth by the inquisitive children.

Then, while the officers formed into various groups to chat and share old memories, there was a musical chair for the ladies. It was well contested competition with lots of pushes, finally wives of Jalal and Najeeb remained to contest the final. It was well contested by both competitors and ultimately Mrs. Jalal won it.

 

 

 

The prize distribution ceremony was the last event to award prizes ladies-children and male golfers and participants of musical chair. More photographs will be added as and when received from Ghazanfar and other course mates. No award for the winning tug of war team as Qadri - the sports sergeant of Tariq company made it more of a fun game rather than a competition. We all enjoyed it - though.

The proceedings of the ended with a thank-you from Azhar Ali Shah to Ghazanfar Ali, his team and the Piffers Centre and a hip hip hurray for them. Then as a good will gesture, everyone threw Ghazanfar in the air three times. Then slowly and gradually every one started to leave - embracing each other with a hope to meet again next year - INSHALLAH. and so came to an a two days mega event - laid out very well painstakingly by the organizers - certainly this get together was the best so far held and its beautiful memories would be cherished as long as we are. THANK YOU GHAZANFAR and everyone who made it to Abbottabad.

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