(1 May 1955 - 1 December 2015)
December always comes with a gloom. For us the bitter memories of 1971 and then the APS massacre of 144 students at the hands of terrorists last year is already too much to go through December without feeling at ease. But perhaps these events were not too many for us to feel the gloom of December as a shockwave waited for us right on 1 December 2015 - the departure Muhammad Javed Iqbal Baloch: one of the finest officers of our course and Pakistan Army. Javed suffered a heart attack and was evacuated to AFIC, Rawalpindi where he breathed his last around 10 PM.
For those around him this was a total shock as he has been hale and hearty and was everywhere whenever a course meeting of local chapter was called or meeting a few close friends over a cup of tea. And we who were away from Lahore were equally taken aback by the news for one could never think of a man full of life suddenly called upon for his heavenly duties above.
Like all of us of 55 PMA Long Course, Javed, then a fragile and lean young boy from Sargodha was among us going through the rigours of PMA training, showing his extraordinary intelligence in every field of training and was in the front runners.I did not have much of interaction with Javed except for usual exchange of views and handshakes during classes for he was in another company. But there came a day when he walked over to me at the fag end of our training when the units had freshly been announced for the passing cadets of our course. Unknown to me, he too had given the choice of the unit which I had - but while I had given the choice of 6 Light Air Defence Regiment as advised to me by Abdul Qadir Khan Shahid, for his father had served in an air defence regiment and he too was following the footsteps of his father. So for me, the number 6 was just a number which I got.
On the other hand Javed had given the same unit as his first choice for he knew that the unit was to move from Karachi to Sargodha within six months and being from Sargodha the unit suited him well. And when he walked over to me, he said: You have robbed the unit of my choice and a chance to be near my village. And from then on, whenever we met, he would always recall our conversation in hearty and light mood and even tell others around, specially his family that 'this is the man who robbed me of my first choice in PMA.' And we would laugh remembering our PMA days. And instead of 6, he was commissioned in 15 SP Medium Regiment Artillery, which at that time was stationed in Multan (if I remember correctly).
Javed standing fourth from right - Final Term Ghaznavi Seniors - II PMA
Javed's intelligence and hard work made him rise high and was placed on prestigious appoints throughout his army career. It was bad luck that he was not promoted a general officer, something he very rightfully deserved, but was then compensated by his posting as DG Coast Guard - an appointment that made him command the coastal areas of Pakistan for over two years. Thereafter, he held senior positions in NADRA and had recently retired as DG NADRA, Punjab.
Javed making a forceful point to course secretary during 2012 get together at Mangla
Javed with Alamgir and Israr
During his tenure of Coast Guard, my elder brother Gul Hameed Bhatti fell critically ill due to cancer and Javed was there to provide me his mess both when I visited my brother and second time on my brother's demise (though at that time he had relinquished his appointment but still asked his staff to accommodate me and my family). We would often meet thereafter on marriages and course get togethers.
The wedding of daughter of Javed Baloch in Sargodha (2013) was a mini get together of the course mates who had come from all over the country and join Javed in bidding farewell to Javed's daughter to her new home (Photos above and below). Nobody knew at that time that a few years from hence, many would be coming again to Javed's ancestral village to bid him farewell forever to his heavenly abode.
Good days dinning together
Javed at the marriage of Ghazanfar's daughter [21 April 2012] Jacaranda Club, DHA, Islamabad
Javed sitting extreme right between Siddiqui and Khokhar
Javed was with most of us at Nathiagali course get together April earlier this year and attended the course get together for the last time (though unknown to him and to us then). He and Zahir Khan vehemently floated the idea of holding the 2016 course get together at Lahore which was applauded by all of us. And we all have been looking forwards to the hospitality of Lahore chapter - never knowing that Javed himself will not be there to be one of our hosts.
Javed standing fifth from the right in the first row
Azhar Ali Shah lays floral wreath on behalf of 55 PMA Long Course after handing over out great friend to mother earth for his onward flight to the heavens
As reported by Tariq Fazil on Facebook, a large number of course mates made it to Javed's native village chak 36 nb Ballochan Bhalwal road Sargodha. From Lahore chapter Zahir Khan , Tassawar, Ali Akbar, Ghulam Abbass, Sultan Khan , Saeed Akram, Azhar Shah , Muhammad Athar, Rashad Javeed , Arshad Khokhar and Syed Ali Baqar, from Rawalpindi chapter Muhammad Asif , Asif Ilyas, Muhammad Iftikhar Mansoor , Zahir-Ul - Islam, Ikram Kayani, Mumtaz Ahmad Bajwa , Akhtar Nawaz Janjua, Shahid Maqbool, Mukhtar Hussain, Shahid Noor, Ghulam Murtaza , Saeed Raja , Munawar Solehria, Mohsin Amir , Arjmand Iqbal and Muhammad Tahir , while Asghar Kalyar arrived from Sargodha. Several hundred mourners had arrived from far and near to offer Numaz-e-Janaza of this very exceptional human being loved and admired for his splendid qualities of head and heart. At least half a dozen floral wreaths were laid on his grave including one from 55th.
Today when I write this post and add yet another thumbnail to our friends who have already taken the flights for their heavenly abode, I really do it with a very heavy heart - like always and continued looking at the faces of those who have been with us - had the same aspirations and expectations from life. But they did not have enough time. While I pray that all above be blessed and may their souls rest in peace in their heavenly abode, let us all start packing up for one never knows when the clock stops ticking!!
