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Throne of Origins
Monday, 9 February 2026

This article appeared in Daily the Nation


The actual “Road to Swat” bifurcates from the great Grand Trunk Road near Nowshera. About a kilometre below the highest point on the Road to Swat, the commuters can see the Takht-e-Bahi Mountains in the middle distance from the road. The ruins of one of the grand monastery of the past are situated on the top of a 152-meter high hill, about 80 kilometres from Peshawar and 16 kilometres northwest of the city of Mardan. While Swat is famous for different reasons now (rise and fall of the Taliban), some interested people still visit Takht-e-Bahi - a Buddhist monastery developed between the 1st and 7th centuries AD.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, February 09, 2026, ,

Three Continents, One Table
Sunday, 8 February 2026

A Joyful 55 PMA Reunion in Lahore

It was a delightful and rare surprise: three dear course mates from distant corners of the world — Altaf visiting from the United States, Mushtaq from Turkey, and Tahir Khan from Canada — all converged in Lahore at the same time. What are the odds of friends scattered across three continents gathering under one roof after so many years?


This extraordinary coincidence deserved a proper celebration. Tassawar Ali Rana and Saleem Sarwar stepped up with characteristic enthusiasm to make it happen. Thanks to their tireless efforts, the Lahore Chapter of the 55 PMA Long Course came alive for a memorable brunch at DeSOM (the Defence Services Officers Mess), BBQ - a venue perfectly suited for camaraderie and good food.

The turnout was impressive — 23 members, including 13 gracious lady wives — creating a vibrant, heartfelt reunion filled with shared stories, laughter, and the unmistakable bond forged at PMA Kakul decades ago. Tassawar's dedication to keeping our course mates connected over the years is truly inspiring; his energy turns occasional meetups into cherished traditions.

The afternoon overflowed with warmth: sizzling barbecue, cups of chai, nostalgic anecdotes, and the simple joy of seeing familiar faces light up. Everything — the food, the conversations, the easy camaraderie—was spot on.

"Special thanks are due to Sir Saeed Akram, Kalyar and Zaka for travelling all the way from Toba Tek Singh, Sargodha and Sialkot alongwith their wives and a son respectively to join us for brunch." A couple of notes of regret: Tahir Khan, though expected, couldn't join at the last moment. We also missed our regular stalwarts like Khalid Javed, Ghulam Shabbir, and Ali Akbar, whose presence would have made the gathering even more complete.


Still, the day reminded us how enduring these friendships are, transcending time and geography. Here's to many more such reunions — may the 55 PMA spirit keep bringing us together, whether across the city or across the world.

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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, February 08, 2026, ,

To Carry the Dust to Multan
Sunday, 1 February 2026

Standing in Qila Kohna Qasim Bagh - accumulated debris of ages - one can think of Alexander the Great, Muhammad Bin Qasim, Saints, Mystics, Sultans, Gardezis, Gilanis, Qureshis, and Khawanis. But what you see is the ageing town hall and Ghanta Ghar, Hussain Agahi Chowk - Hide Park of Multan - with the nerve jarring rattle of auto rickshaws, tangle of tonga and donkey carts vying for space with mechanical transport, vendors and shoppers, blaring music of audio video music centers and second hand cloths (landa) hung on the walls.


A city of monuments, Multan has been around for centuries. History of Multan dates back to ancient times. As per the legend, its origin is assigned to the time of Hazrat Noah (A S). Under the various Hellenic forms of ancient designations (Kasyapapura, Kashtpur, Hanspur, Bagpur and Mulasthan) Multan figures into works of Hecataeus, Herodotus and Ptolemy. It has been an empire, a kingdom, a province, a state, a capital and now a divisional headquarters.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Sunday, February 01, 2026, ,


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