Whenever I have heard the name of Zia-ul-Haq, it was always followed by criticism; whether it was from Indians or Pakistanis I interact with. Let us take a break from it and explore the other side of him which might be unknown to many and about which I came to know from my professor at college.
Zia-ul-Haq was alum (1940-44) of St. Stephen’s College at Delhi University, one of the oldest and the top ranking colleges in India. My professor, alum of St. Stephen’s himself and a communist by principle and practice, was once giving a lecture in class against the consumption of soft drinks and how the producers of PEPSI and Coca Cola are actually looting the masses. He said that having a glass of banta (colloquial for Lemon Soda in New Delhi) is much better than the colas and Pepsi, at least this way you help the local seller than a Multi-national Company.
The reference made to the word ‘banta’ took the lecture and the lecturer down the memory lanes of Delhi University (DU), of course, the one who has studied at DU is always overwhelmed by its campus, streets, ambience, food stalls and obviously Banta, which is not less than a Trademark of DU, sold in every corner of the campus and consumed by every single student since forever. Giving galore to its popularity, my professor said that when he was a student at St. Stephen’s in 1986, Zia-ul-Haq had visited the college on its Centenary Celebration. The first thing he did when he reached there was that he personally visited a ‘banta’ vending ‘thela’ and had a glass of it, probably remembering his adolescent days. Somehow it reveals a nostalgic and emotional side of a ruler often termed as a Draconian dictator, which probably everyone has but is never revealed.
The website of the college reveals that Zia-ul-Haq’s novel method of ragging fresher’s was to parade them down the fields in the middle of the night. Incidentally, Zia ul-Haq misspelt his name in a leave application to the Principal as Zai ul- Haq!
Some Stephanians from Pakistan: Gen. Zia-ul-Haq, Dr I.H.Qureshi, S.Shahnawaz, Iqbal Butt, Birjis Hassan Khan-diplomats; Zahoor Azhar and Taimuri- bureaucrats; Ikramul Haq and Abdur Rahman Siddiqui -journalists; Qadeeruddin Ahmed-Chief Justice, Baluchistan and Sindh; Shuja-ud-Din -renowned test cricket umpire; and many others.
Photo Credits: ‘Banta’ photo is from flickr.com.
RSS
Twitter
Facebook
LinkedIn
Digg
YouTube
@Nostalgic
If he had haram money his son should have been rich after his death. Zia did wrong by trying to force his wiev of islam on people. But when it comes to financial crime, there is no proof against him.
Hussain, can you share the information you have regarding Zia’s bank accounts, since you are so sure that he had no “haram money?”
Besides, there is corruption far worse than the financial sort… our ruined economy can recover, over time… the generation of young minds ruined by Zia are irrecoverable…
Gee, who’d have thought that this innocuous looking building’d
spawn such a scourge for Pakistan!
If we can only find a way to undo the damage done by that
demonic creature!
Another great thing with Zia was that when he died he was not full of haram money stolen from Pakistan. His son was not rich, Nawaz gave him(zias son) some haram money. One thing i did not like with Zia was that he gave us that law: women who has been raped must have 4 mulahs as witness. Musharaf wanted to end that law but Jamate Islami and JUI stop it.
interesting, but seems incomplete really.
I dont agree,,
I’m from a hallowed one too.. and i never felt so ..
Stephens is one of the best colleges and produced the best people, leaders, teachers and other educationist..
Interesting article about Zia-ul-Huq and his stint at my alma mater. Also interesting to read about other leading Pakistani’s who were also Stephanians.
Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was from my school in Bombay (1947) – Cathedral and John Connon School. Our maths teacher, “Pop” Pharoah, a man with a heart of gold, told us that Bhutto was not very strong in Maths! Pop used to punish students by lifting them up by their belt and applying something called a bacon slicing action on the bottom with a ruler (pre capital punishment abolition days). He was a big man and recalled how he had bacon sliced Bhutto! You were not “a Cathedralite” unless you had been bacon sliced by Pop!
A question. How many leading Indians studied in well known Pakistani Institutions?
Dear all, I am away from home and am so glad to see and read things that never was brought up for ordinary pakistanies to read and know. I have seen half of the world, lived for years in 3 different continents and am still so connected to my land as if I have just left it. I just know that whoever has ruled us in the last 60 years, has looted and destroyed the country or we would not find ourselves today where we are right now. I do not believe that Zia was a brutal dictator but you know what he did some good things too, or Bhuttu started Nukes prog………all bullshit. They were all power savy, hungry and incompetent leaders and they have made a mess as long as they were in power. You canno justify any of our leader for being good to the country because he did 2% good for the land………..nop, thats not how nations look at their leaders.100% is a norm, or you dont deserve to be in this seat. Try look at the picture from here after not seeing it for at least 5 years, it looks like a hell……we are so close to a complete fall off, and no leader or party from today’s Pkistan can save it……….they dont even bother. It’s just the ORDINARY MAN who’ll come forward one day and will audit the history by making a history. Ount re Ount teri kon si kal seedhi………..!!! I still love th land, because it’s a God’s gift to us and because meri Mitthi wahaa’s se uthai gaiee thee………..!!!