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.
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………..!!!
Dear Soumya,
I see your point, but…..Okay we read a human side of a Zia through a biographical event of his life and the fact that he misspelled is also good detail, But what makes it incomplete is how his human side was also part of his “villain” life. For example one could explore that yes he took English from the public schools but he was an avid urdu poetry reader, and that would make his character very complex and interesting. So I would suggest that readers would like to see the human side of him, the ‘villain with good in him?’ or as a counter argument, Greek theater would say ‘flawed hero’. Same theme was explored after Bhutto’s death, that she is and forever a hero but flawed, but people still love her. So if I may suggest, find more examples of Zia, history books are full of them, more details and then your own thorough analysis. Then your article has a valid argument. Okay? :)
it does not hurt to be reminded of the man in these days when people tend to find relatively minor evils as unbearable. i pity the indians who have had to suffer a larger number of the alumni of that institution. before someone says that the institution was not at fault, let me expressly say that i firmly believe that institutions, especially hallowed ones, have a central role in developing the psyche of an individual.
thanks Usman..
I appreciate you comments, people don’t really get the intention behind this article… :)