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An officer must know when to quit
I joined the army via the Pakistan Military Academy in 1963. The army had pride and honour.
LAHORE: I joined the army via the Pakistan Military Academy in 1963 — those were good days. The army had pride and honour. The officers mostly travelled to work on cycles, and a few had private cars. Staff cars were used only for official duty. Any senior officer passed over would resign. I joined the 17 Punjab Regiment, and during my time Raja Aziz Bhatti was posthumously conferred with a Nishan-e-Haider and Shafqat Baloch a Sitara-e-Jurrat for defending Hudiara.
In this unit there were lots of stories of its performance under Brigadier Nowsherwan Khan, from the 1947-48 Kashmir/Chunj battle. There was this one particular one that I still remember. It was about Subedar Lal Khan, who had resigned in 1948. And even in 1965 soldiers knew the story.
Subedar Lal Khan was a very honourable and brave JCO (junior commissioned officer)who had done fairly well during the Second World War and was outstanding in all professional events including drill. In a couple of years he was to be promoted as subedar major. One fine morning as Duty JCO he was to mount the guard at the unit quarter guard. While inspecting the guard he missed his steps and could not keep in step with the guard commander, who was an NCO (non-commissioned officer).
After that, he came straight to the Adjutant’s Office took off his cross belt saluted and said: “Sir, I hereby resign my commission because I was outsmarted by the guard commander this morning.”
All efforts by the officers and the subedar major in charge failed to convince him to not resign, as it was not such a big issue. But Subedar Lal Khan stood firm and said If I continue to serve I shall not be able to face the NCO as well as my family. The only honourable thing for me is to go home with my honour and dignity.
That was the army I grew up with and fought two wars with — both times against India. An officer must know when to quit honourably.
Muhammad Shahbaz Thuthaal
Published in The Express Tribune, February 2nd, 2012.
Reader Comments (9)
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Excellent memories. it was really like that. But my dear sir gone are the days. Now you have scores of generals trespassing every moral, ethical and human values what to talk of a subedar major. So buddy just relax and keep on enjoying good old days.
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An honorable soldier..I salute.
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@ZKhan:
Nice romantic story but you fail to mention that we lost both the wars you fought in!
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That was a superior breed of people in a superior era, sadly long gone now. We must pay the highest respect for such honorable officers. I’m sure there must be such officers even today, albeit in minority. May Allah guide us to make Pakistan great, as was the vision of Quaid-e-Azam. Ameen.
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@Javaid R. Shami:
Victory and defeat are relative terms. Who won in 1965 and who lost in 1971 are still debateable. Spirit in uniform is just to obey the orders. ” Nothing as to reason why but to do and die” This is the beauti of a body in military uniform. Till today you hear daily such heroic acts. True it is old was gold but current state has been messed up by top notches and not by foot soldiers. It a hard fact and one should accept it.
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@Tariq
A big AMEEN from my side also.:
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Interesting :)
Reminds one of the ways of Rajputs one finds mentioned in the writings of medieval writers/travelers.
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I appreciate the purity of your soul which still tells you to believe that the JCO made the best decision. I salute that JCO but will add that showing morality is not only the job of men in uniform, everyone must posses this quality.
With regards to the reminder given by a brother that we fought both wars; i’d just say that it’s not a soldier or an army that wins or loses wars but it’s the nation that does. God bless us all.Recommend
After the so-called Indian mutiny of 1857 the ranks of JCO was created in the Royal Indian Army by the Britishers for their own easiness to command Indian soldiers as they were facing great difficulties due to different languages spoken in India. They inducted high-cast Indians in the Royal Indian Arme and gave them Vioceroy Commission. In the begining they were called VCOs. But after independence of Pakistan and India in August 1947 this rank was retained by Pakistan and India because officers of the Pakistan and Indian army continue wanted to enjoy like British officers of the Indian army and avoided coming in direct contact with their soldiers.
The JCO rank is no where in the world except in India and Pakistan army. It is pertinent to note that after the Indian mutiny of 1857 Britishers were very must scared of Indians and wanted to make good pay and ration scale of Indian soldiers like that of British soldiers to keep them happy and loyal to them. But It was the JCOs who misguided Britishers about the lower pay and ration scale for Indian soldiers saying ‘ Sahib we Indians are very simple and tough we can fight even after eating ‘Chaney ki Dal’ and remain loyal to our British rulars. They actually axed their legs themselves. During British Raj in India the Royal Indian Navy and Air Force were not having JCOs. There vwere Chief Patty Officers in Royal Indian Navy and Warrant Officers in the Royal Indian Air Firce.
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