Memoirs of Lt General Gul Hassan Khan is an interesting read. Yours truly read it years ago but it left a very good taste in the mouth. Because of the unjustifiably high hatred in India for anything Pakistani you approach a book from there with similar expectations, of course in the reverse. It is strange that yours truly remembers not a single barb on India or Indian people. In fact a significant part of the book covers his postings before partition and the discussion in that part looks like as if a former army officer of India is telling his experience. And the transition to post independence is rather smooth one. Creation of Pakistan is theoretically contentious and after its creation there are several things that can be said against its upbringing but in the non-volatile circles the hatred for India is much less in Pakistan than the reverse phenomena. This was one sobering lesson of the book.
But this post is about a different point. Because of that point itself this book is worth it. Of course the book covers very important strategic as well as cultural and political scenario and every one interested in the history of the sub-continent can peruse the book with benefit. Here is the point that does not leave yours truly's mind. He somehow was a favourite of the superiors and thus would end up in the position of ADC. For a worldly wise person it would be a goody. Not for him. At more than one place he says that he wanted to do some serious soldiering. I wish we were thinking in the same way all the time - I want to do some serious Islaming. And Islaming means to behave and work and act like a Muslim. Hats off to you General Khan. (No, no, not the Vice Chancellor Lt General Zameerullah Khan. We shall do that later on, Lord Most High willing.)
But this post is about a different point. Because of that point itself this book is worth it. Of course the book covers very important strategic as well as cultural and political scenario and every one interested in the history of the sub-continent can peruse the book with benefit. Here is the point that does not leave yours truly's mind. He somehow was a favourite of the superiors and thus would end up in the position of ADC. For a worldly wise person it would be a goody. Not for him. At more than one place he says that he wanted to do some serious soldiering. I wish we were thinking in the same way all the time - I want to do some serious Islaming. And Islaming means to behave and work and act like a Muslim. Hats off to you General Khan. (No, no, not the Vice Chancellor Lt General Zameerullah Khan. We shall do that later on, Lord Most High willing.)