Every Pakistani grow up
listening to the stories about the independence movement as a child. We all feel
inspired by our heroes and even cried while listening to their experiences. For
us, it is just a story but they have lived that reality. The sacrifices made by
our elders to get this beloved land is far greater than what we read in books. It’s
the price of the freedom we enjoy today. The struggle, commitment, and love
collectively as a nation cant be seen anywhere. Our history is an ornament that
we wear with pride. And for me, it was no different. My great grandfather would
always cry telling what he saw and went through when people were fleeing their
homes, loved ones, and leaving everything behind during partition.
My great grandfather
was 27 years old, worked as Station Master at the British railway, and was also
part of their hockey team. He remembers Quaid Azam Muhammad Ali Jinnah as a peace-loving person. He would
always get excited whenever Quaid-e-Azam's name was mentioned. He told us that despite
his deteriorating health, Jinnah put in a lot of effort for Pakistan. He even
gave countless speeches calling for the country to become independent so that
Islam could be practiced freely and without fear under appropriate laws that
were aimed not only at Muslims but also at their Hindu counterparts following
equality before the law.
His speeches motivated
the whole Muslim nation to strive for freedom. As happy as he would be about
talking about his leader, he would cry remembering his friends who lost their lives
during the partition massacre in the railway station. Even though he told the same
story more than a thousand times but his grief and respect for all the martyrs
increases every time.
In 1947, when the North
Western Railway become Pakistan Railway after independence. It was a proud
moment for all the staff working for the railway as they were the ones who made
it out alive. They showed the True
patriotism that worked for building and protecting our country. He was
one of those people who came safe and alive to Lahore station. He hid 10 of his
mates in the engine cabin and didn’t slow the train even when people were
trying to stop the train. His mates helped to disperse 6 people that came to
attack the train and they successfully kept the train moving. when he came to Lahore
he found out that all his friends that brought the trains from their stations didn’t
make out alive. the fact every single person on the train was killed.
Every family in Pakistan would have similar stories like this. As we
celebrate 14 August this week, let us remember all those great people who loved
their country even though they never stepped on it and sacrificed everything
including their life.
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