They All are Captain Khalid Iftikhar
By Sohail Parwaz
This is the last dispatch that Captain Khalid Iftikhar Shaheed made minutes before he left for a raid to embraced shahadat. Question may come to one’s mind that who is Captain Khalid Iftikhar? Honestly speaking, every officer and jawan of the armed forces is Captain Khalid Iftikhar, may he be from infantry, armour, artillery, SSG or any other arm or service. At his age when his other age mates are still enjoying the campus carnivals, going on dates, having fun, he has chosen to lay his life for his holy motherland, exuberantly. He, like all of us had wide open options to join the forces or to keep himself comfortable with the social urban life. It needs real guts to leave behind old age parents, loving siblings, darling spouses and innocent infants and walk out of this world with smiles on their faces. The youngsters who lay their lives aren’t doing this to hear the venomous and hateful name-calling like; chawkidar (watchman) should stay like a chawkidar. Aren’t we all the chawkidars of our motherland? This mail happens to be the last mail of one of the ‘chawkidars’. Please go through it and try to evaluate the feelings of a person who is proceeding on a death mission, instead of going through the language typos.
ALLAH in the name of The Most Affectionate, the Merciful
March 2014
Rs. 5000/- given to Lt. Zaheer
My camera is with Sir Shamshair
Will buy T-shirt when I will go on leave next week
Capt. Zamin brought Ab-e-Zam Zam for me
Dear Ammi, Abboo
Dear Fayiza
My Faith, my love my much-loved motherland Pakistan
May you live forever. In first place I addressed my parents followed by my thoughts to write to my life partner, yet I wasn’t convinced because if I would have written to them then this memo would have not reached you but now when I am addressing you, it’s my firm faith that my message would reach to every mother, father, wife, sibling or offspring who has an obligation to Islam and then a pledge to you (Pakistan) for his or her life. The CO (commanding officer) has been tasked to destroy a terrorists’ hideout and when he asked for a volunteer to lead the raid party, I stepped forward and presented myself. Lt. Zaheer said, “Sir! You are wedded and have an infant son, too. I am a bachelor so let me go”, however I refused his offer. Tonight I am taking the raid party. Only Allah knows that what He has destined for me; life or death but I am getting the vibes that I may embrace shahadat. May be this is my last letter to anyone.
Dear motherland! I precisely remember that how my grandfather would narrate the freedom movement stories. He would always stress that son! Respect and value your freedom or else Allah pushes the thankless nations back into the darkness of slavery. I also remember his recounting the story about my aunt’s kidnapping while, their on foot journey to Pakistan. He would often warn that if we will not value our freedom then soon our enemy will intrude our privacies and would not hesitate to piss in front of our houses. My father says that grandpa’s this caveat sounded like threatening his honour hence he joined the forces and beloved Pakistan! My case is no different.
Since last many weeks I am observing that few pseudo intellectuals very handily bashing the armed forces and that really burns my blood. It made me think that has anyone ever thought of it that when he is watching a movie on big LCD in an air-conditioned room, where sepoy Akhter is exactly at that moment? Has anyone ever given it a thought that when he is enjoying a sumptuous dinner in some hot spot hangout along with his family, which forsaken border post, Havildar Abbas is manning? I wonder if this thought has even faintly touched anyone’s mind that when he is sarcastically criticizing the armed forces in a talk show, at that very moment Captain Gohar is breathing his last after falling into a terrorists’ ambush?
Dear Pakistan! I don’t have to say much because I don’t have ample time. I owe you a great debt which I shall try to pay back tonight. In fact we all owe you and I have a strong belief that whosoever will leave this world without paying the debt back, Allah will never forgive him since defaulters aren’t forgiven. I have told Sir Shamshair to hand this letter and camera over to my family and my humble request to Abboo is to get this letter published somewhere. Fayiza dear! I request you to finally give this letter to my son Hamza and when he grow up tell him that he also owe a lot to his holy motherland which he must try to pay back. Captain Zamin had brought Ab-e-Zam Zam when he returned after performing Umrah. I have sipped a little and sending the rest for you people. If I retun safely then hope to see you next week. In Sha Allah. Ammi! If I survive and come on leave then I would like to rest my head in your lap and shall take a nap. I am tired and haven’t slept for ages. Captain Zaheer owes me rupees five thousand. If he could easily return then please give that to some orphan from Waziristan for his education. I beg leave now as I have called my O group (Order group) after Isha prayers. If ever, I have hurt anyone’s feelings unintentionally then please forgive me.
My beloved motherland! May Allah always be your protector. Allah Hafiz
Captain Khalid Iftikhar
12 April 2014
