Posting to Singapore and the Independence of India and Pakistan
However Nehru’s motor convoy was fired at in the Malakand Agency by the tribesmen. Soon after this Colonel Atma Singh felt uneasy, Captain Iqbal Rao, Captain Mohhamad Jamshed MC and Bar and myself were posted out of the battalion. I left Peshawar to join 7/1st Punjab on 14th November 1946 at Uruli camp near Poona. Colonel Holmes was our C.O who always tried to find out my political leanings.
On 15th January 1947 I was appointed Quartermaster of the battalion and was promoted to Captain again. Since the battalion was proceeding to Singapore, I as the Quartermaster had to work very hard. By end of February all British officers left and we had all Indian officers. Lieutenant Colonel Budh Singh MC and Bar came as our new CO, Major Ali Mohammad came from 2/1st as Second-in-Command. Before sailing for Singapore I took 15 days leave to meet Sonaka in Karachi, where he was then posted with HMIS Dilawar as instructor, whom I had not seen for quite sometimes. I left Poona and r4ached Karachi where I stayed at the Palace Hotel. Next day I met Sonaka at his Naval establishment. For next few days that we spent together most of our time.
At the end of my leave I returned to my battalion and found that the sailing date had arrived. On 6th March we left Poona by special train for Madras, from there we sailed by S.S. Thelma on 8th March. After 5 days of very comfortable sea journey we reached Singapore. By that time communal riot had started in Northern India, particularly in Amritsar. Immediately on our disembarkation on 13th March we moved to Changi to relive 5 Maratha Light Infantry and assigned the main task of guarding the famous Changi Jail full with Japanese war criminals.
I did not take us long to settle down. The Japanese war criminals did not give us any trouble. We found them very obedient irrespective of their ranks and found them well disciplined. Every Thursdays one of us by turn had to witness execution of those condemned to death. The victim always begged us for death punishment in favour of long term imprisonment and it impressed us how cheerfully they used to run to the gallows to be executed by British executioners.
In May, Major Ali was posted and came a Sikh Major as our Second-in-Command. With the departure of Major Ali seniour most Muslim officer was Major (now Lieutenant Colonel) Ghulam Habib, then myself, Captain (now Colonel) M.I.Qureshi. Lieutenants S.H.M.Jaffri, Majid and Lala Khan. The remaining officers were all seniour to Major Ghulam Habib who was either Sikhs or Jats. The battalion was the comprised of one company P.Ms one company of Hazarawal Muslims and other two companies of Rajputs. Communal troubles in India had its unfortunate effect on us in distant Singapore. The C.O. Colonel Budh Singh lost confidence in me as his Quarter Master and asked me to hand over charge to Lieutenant Jaffri. I was appointed O.C Administrative Company.
In June I left by an RAF plane for a course in Yole in Kangra Valley. By the time I reached Amritsar communal riot was in full swing in the city. With difficulty I reached Yole where one day while climbing a hill I sprained my left leg and was confined to bed. While lying ion bed one day I heard the great announcement that the British had decided to grant independence to both India and Pakistan by August.
On my way to Singapore I reached Calcutta with a swollen left leg and in great pain. I rang up Noquika who came to see me in Grand Hotel. Next day I left Calcutta by an RAF plane for Singapore via Rangoon. After reaching Singapore I was in great agony, so was admitted in B.M.H, where I stayed nearly 15 days.
When I rejoined from hospital I found Colonel Budh Singh a bit changed person. He asked me to opt for Indian Army since my home and relatives were going to be in the area to become a part of Indian Union. But what I had seen in Calcutta, and reports of country wide communal riots then going on in India, I had made up my mind to opt for Pakistan Army. When I signed my option papers, the C.O sent for me and almost begged me to change my option and asked me to seek my brother’s advice. I was adamant and asked him to forward my paper which I told him as my final choice. He did not have any other alternative but to forward my application.
It was agreed that the C.O will hoist the two newly born countries flag at 3.A.M local time, which coincided with midnight in India on 14th August 1947. We did not know what would be the size and shape of (the) Pakistan flag. So, we sent a number of urgent telegrams to Karachi. Till 13th evening we did not get any reply. Eventually at 10 P.M. we received a telegram giving the complete description of our National Flag. Major Ghulam Habib immediately rushed to Singapore, were he got the flag prepared and just 10 minutes before 3 A.M. when we had all assembled near the flag pole anxiously waiting; he handed over the flag to the Adjutant Captain Qureishi. So exactly at 3 A.M Singapore time on 14th August 1947 Colonel Budh Singh hoisted the flag of both Pakistan and India on the same flag pole, at the same height. We stood to attention and saluted our new flag. We had tears of happiness in our eyes. C.O mad ed a very short speech and then we dispersed. Next day local Muslims celebrated the birth of Pakistan. We had a grand reception in our mess which was well attended. It took us quite sometime to know whether the Regiment as a whole would go to Pakistan or Indian Army. When we finally got the message that 7/1st Punjab and 1st Punjab as a Regiment would form part of Pakistan Army we were simply overjoyed. During the period I made a short trip to Kula Lumpur to see Captain (now Lieutenant Colonel) Jabbar ** in R.I.A.S.C – a distant cousin of mine.
** Major General Abdul Jabbar seen on the right in this photograph retired from the Bangladesh Army. He is the last surviving former military personnel who constituted the core of our first generation. He lives with his son and daghter-in-law in Old D.O.H.S, Dhaka Cantonment and is in excellent health despite his age.
On left is the great surviving doyen of our Auhomia community, Anisur Rahman, who is chasing 90!
May aLLAH grant both our Murabbis a very long life.
On 15th January 1947 I was appointed Quartermaster of the battalion and was promoted to Captain again. Since the battalion was proceeding to Singapore, I as the Quartermaster had to work very hard. By end of February all British officers left and we had all Indian officers. Lieutenant Colonel Budh Singh MC and Bar came as our new CO, Major Ali Mohammad came from 2/1st as Second-in-Command. Before sailing for Singapore I took 15 days leave to meet Sonaka in Karachi, where he was then posted with HMIS Dilawar as instructor, whom I had not seen for quite sometimes. I left Poona and r4ached Karachi where I stayed at the Palace Hotel. Next day I met Sonaka at his Naval establishment. For next few days that we spent together most of our time.
At the end of my leave I returned to my battalion and found that the sailing date had arrived. On 6th March we left Poona by special train for Madras, from there we sailed by S.S. Thelma on 8th March. After 5 days of very comfortable sea journey we reached Singapore. By that time communal riot had started in Northern India, particularly in Amritsar. Immediately on our disembarkation on 13th March we moved to Changi to relive 5 Maratha Light Infantry and assigned the main task of guarding the famous Changi Jail full with Japanese war criminals.
I did not take us long to settle down. The Japanese war criminals did not give us any trouble. We found them very obedient irrespective of their ranks and found them well disciplined. Every Thursdays one of us by turn had to witness execution of those condemned to death. The victim always begged us for death punishment in favour of long term imprisonment and it impressed us how cheerfully they used to run to the gallows to be executed by British executioners.
In May, Major Ali was posted and came a Sikh Major as our Second-in-Command. With the departure of Major Ali seniour most Muslim officer was Major (now Lieutenant Colonel) Ghulam Habib, then myself, Captain (now Colonel) M.I.Qureshi. Lieutenants S.H.M.Jaffri, Majid and Lala Khan. The remaining officers were all seniour to Major Ghulam Habib who was either Sikhs or Jats. The battalion was the comprised of one company P.Ms one company of Hazarawal Muslims and other two companies of Rajputs. Communal troubles in India had its unfortunate effect on us in distant Singapore. The C.O. Colonel Budh Singh lost confidence in me as his Quarter Master and asked me to hand over charge to Lieutenant Jaffri. I was appointed O.C Administrative Company.
In June I left by an RAF plane for a course in Yole in Kangra Valley. By the time I reached Amritsar communal riot was in full swing in the city. With difficulty I reached Yole where one day while climbing a hill I sprained my left leg and was confined to bed. While lying ion bed one day I heard the great announcement that the British had decided to grant independence to both India and Pakistan by August.
On my way to Singapore I reached Calcutta with a swollen left leg and in great pain. I rang up Noquika who came to see me in Grand Hotel. Next day I left Calcutta by an RAF plane for Singapore via Rangoon. After reaching Singapore I was in great agony, so was admitted in B.M.H, where I stayed nearly 15 days.
When I rejoined from hospital I found Colonel Budh Singh a bit changed person. He asked me to opt for Indian Army since my home and relatives were going to be in the area to become a part of Indian Union. But what I had seen in Calcutta, and reports of country wide communal riots then going on in India, I had made up my mind to opt for Pakistan Army. When I signed my option papers, the C.O sent for me and almost begged me to change my option and asked me to seek my brother’s advice. I was adamant and asked him to forward my paper which I told him as my final choice. He did not have any other alternative but to forward my application.
It was agreed that the C.O will hoist the two newly born countries flag at 3.A.M local time, which coincided with midnight in India on 14th August 1947. We did not know what would be the size and shape of (the) Pakistan flag. So, we sent a number of urgent telegrams to Karachi. Till 13th evening we did not get any reply. Eventually at 10 P.M. we received a telegram giving the complete description of our National Flag. Major Ghulam Habib immediately rushed to Singapore, were he got the flag prepared and just 10 minutes before 3 A.M. when we had all assembled near the flag pole anxiously waiting; he handed over the flag to the Adjutant Captain Qureishi. So exactly at 3 A.M Singapore time on 14th August 1947 Colonel Budh Singh hoisted the flag of both Pakistan and India on the same flag pole, at the same height. We stood to attention and saluted our new flag. We had tears of happiness in our eyes. C.O mad ed a very short speech and then we dispersed. Next day local Muslims celebrated the birth of Pakistan. We had a grand reception in our mess which was well attended. It took us quite sometime to know whether the Regiment as a whole would go to Pakistan or Indian Army. When we finally got the message that 7/1st Punjab and 1st Punjab as a Regiment would form part of Pakistan Army we were simply overjoyed. During the period I made a short trip to Kula Lumpur to see Captain (now Lieutenant Colonel) Jabbar ** in R.I.A.S.C – a distant cousin of mine.
** Major General Abdul Jabbar seen on the right in this photograph retired from the Bangladesh Army. He is the last surviving former military personnel who constituted the core of our first generation. He lives with his son and daghter-in-law in Old D.O.H.S, Dhaka Cantonment and is in excellent health despite his age.On left is the great surviving doyen of our Auhomia community, Anisur Rahman, who is chasing 90!
May aLLAH grant both our Murabbis a very long life.
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