Timeless Tribute to Potohar's Rich Heritage
Thursday, 1 May 2025
Heartfelt congratulations to Naeema Arshad and Arshad Awan on the launch of their remarkable book, "Forts of Potohar." This labor of love, born from seven years of meticulous research and exploration, is a testament to their unwavering dedication. By visiting 20 forts and uncovering centuries of history, they've crafted a masterpiece that celebrates culture, civilization, and art. All credit to this dynamic duo for their teamwork, from writing to organizing a memorable launch.
With inspiring words from Dr. Shahid Amjad Chaudhry, Rector, Lahore School of Economics, Dr. Shahid Siddique, Dean, Faculty of Social Sciences, Media Studies, Arts, and Design, and Rabia Nadir, this book launch became truly special.
The forts of Potohar hold a treasure trove of history, brimming with architectural brilliance and strategic ingenuity. During my service, I was fortunate to visit some of these historical strongholds (a cross-country walk from Tilla Jogian Field Firing Ranges to Rohtas is one of the best and most picturesque), and I remain captivated by the brilliance behind their locations. These fortifications, strategically scattered across the Potohar region from Attock to Jhelum, showcase the ingenuity of their builders, who skillfully utilized natural defenses, elevated terrains, and tactical advantages. Each site was meticulously chosen, guided by critical factors such as natural barriers, river crossings, defensive postures, and the need for surveillance. This combination of considerations rendered these sites ideal fort locations, offering both strong defenses and control over trade and commerce.
The elevated positions of these forts were pivotal in their effectiveness. From commanding heights, defenders gained clear vantage points to detect enemy movements early, giving them ample time to prepare for any threats. The rugged terrain, marked by steep slopes and rocky outcrops, posed significant challenges for advancing adversaries, deterring siege equipment and rapid assaults. From these heights, defenders could unleash projectiles with devastating precision, enhancing their defense and resilience.
Beyond their defensive roles, these forts played a vital part in shaping the socio-economic fabric of the region. Situated near key trade routes, like Attock Fort on the Indus River, they regulated commerce, collected taxes, and ensured safe passage for merchants and travelers. Overlooking fertile lands, these strongholds secured agricultural resources and contributed to regional prosperity. Forts such as Rohtas and Rawat served as symbols of authority, maintaining law and order while sheltering surrounding settlements, thereby strengthening governance.
These elevated structures also formed an essential communication network. Through smoke signals, beacons, or messengers, forts communicated warnings and coordinated defense strategies swiftly and effectively. This system facilitated rapid troop mobilization and enabled a unified approach to regional security, interconnecting the forts into a cohesive network.
The fortifications of Potohar, exemplified by Nandna, Rohtas, Rawat, and Attock, embody a profound understanding of the region's geography and security needs. These structures were far more than defensive outposts—they were pillars of stability, ingeniously designed to create a secure and interconnected landscape.
Once again, I extend my warmest congratulations to Naeema Arshad and Arshad Awan. May their literary journey continue to flourish, and I eagerly look forward to their next masterpiece.
When is the next book coming off the stone?
Labels: Books, Forts of Potohar
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, May 01, 2025,
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Fading romance of writing letters and greetings
The sense of financial, social or personal insecurity has blemished the traditional joy and excitement associated with Eid ul Fitr this year. The series of terror attacks, skyrocketing inflation and the sluggish economy have changed even our cultural landscape. Result: Like many cultural hallmarks of festive days, the old tradition of buying greeting cards and sending them to friends and family member seems to be fading away.
Exchange of greeting cards plays an important role in display of love, affection, emotions and nearness. In our society, it has been an established tradition to send greetings on Eid days as well as on occasions like birthdays, marriages, charismas, New Year, on passing exams just to name a few.
Labels: World Post Day
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Thursday, May 01, 2025,
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Going back to nature
Tuesday, 29 April 2025
This article appeared in Pakistan Armed Forces' Monthly Magazine Hilal (Urdu section) in July 2011 issue.
Labels: Environment, Hilal, Housing, In Print, Urdu Blogs
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, April 29, 2025,
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Blog in haste, repent in leisure
Monday, 28 April 2025
The Internet is a newer platform characterized by a large, open, public network where people interact with people worldwide without any barriers like geography, culture, age, social class, or gender. It is unlike the real world, where people with their own identities come together face to face. Online, users are a little less perceptive about their identities.
Labels: Fine Art of Blogging, Information Technology, Online Identity, Privacy
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Monday, April 28, 2025,
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Almost famous
Saturday, 26 April 2025
Excuse me, Jalal HB writes this:
My friend SAJS is very nostalgic about his past – his childhood days when he would jump in the canal flowing next to his village, like all others kid of his village did in the summers. He would watch children playing pebbles, a favourite game in the villages, or perhaps he also joined in and bagged all the pebbles from others (or perhaps lost all of his own and went sobbing home).
When he grew up, he was put to the village school that was the day when a writer was born far away in a small village near Mandi Bahauddin. He would often write small words on the sand, which probably made a theme for him to write a book later in his literary life. He had a passion for reading and writing since his childhood, I would say and this is what reflects from most of his posts. Perhaps for this reason, he loved writing letters and sending eid cards to his friends and family when he moved out of his village for higher education. In one of his recent posts, he has expressed his love for these greeting cards and has also displayed a greeting banner I once drew and posted on the notice board of our academy where we both happened to be undergoing training.
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posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, April 26, 2025,
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Reliving Memories
Wednesday, 16 April 2025
This article appeared in Daily The Nation
There are lessons in the first landscapes of every one's life. Mine is a vista of green paddy fields, smoking with Salt Range mist, against a setting of ribbon of River Jhelum which from distance looked like a shore of another land altogether. The rough, rugged hill range appears very inviting against a sky withering with the morning, interrupted by the dawns’ red and blue brush strokes. My first learning in life is also rooted in my village.
There are lessons in the first landscapes of every one's life. Mine is a vista of green paddy fields, smoking with Salt Range mist, against a setting of ribbon of River Jhelum which from distance looked like a shore of another land altogether. The rough, rugged hill range appears very inviting against a sky withering with the morning, interrupted by the dawns’ red and blue brush strokes. My first learning in life is also rooted in my village.
In rural areas, people still live without accessible roads or other civic amenities of this modern age that are taken for granted in the urban areas. No telephone or the Internet, (in our village) even electricity is a recent phenomenon; so many villages are still without it. You see one village and you have seen all. This was the setting where I spent the first twenty years of my life savoring the freedom of adulthood. It is where I decided what (and how) I wanted to do with life. It is where my mother, brothers, and friends live. It is where I return whenever my active life allows me to. It is where I want to settle and spend my future.
Read more »Labels: In Print, Nation, Traditional Culture
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, April 16, 2025,
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Golden Jubilee 55 PMA Long Course
Khalid Pervez
Today marks a very special milestone — 16th April 1977 to 16th April 2025 — a remarkable journey that began at Pakistan Military Academy, Kakul, and continues with pride, honor and lasting brotherhood — spanning nearly 50 glorious years.
Our association began on 12 May 1975 as young cadets and has grown into a lifelong bond that we cherish deeply. What a beautiful journey - forged in training, strengthened through service, and enriched by memories.
From tough drills to treasured friendships, family events to children’s weddings from our kids joining Armed Forces—some even serving in parental units—to being promoted as Colonels, Brigadiers, and serving in Navy, Air Force, Civil Services, Doctors, Engineers, Scientists and much more...we’ve come a long way together.
My humble prayers and best wishes for each one of you and your families.
Let’s always remember and pray for our brothers who’ve departed for their eternal abode. May Allah grant them the highest place in Jannah.
Long live the 55 PMA Long Course.
Read more »Labels: 55 PMA, Men At Their Best
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Wednesday, April 16, 2025,
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The best fighter is never angry.
Labels: Chasing Life
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, April 15, 2025,
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Texting
We are living through texting times. It is time when the surgeon performs a life-saving surgery in Africa with instructions texted from a friend in London, the trucker crashes into a pool because he was texting while driving, the 15-year-old girl wins 50,000 for texting – in a championship, the Finnish author writes an entire book in text messages, the teenager girl falls in a manhole while texting, the Brit woman sets the record for world's fastest SMS texting, the man sets the world record for the most text messages sent in a month – over 180,000, the two men get a $26k bill trying to set a text messaging record, the girl sends 200 messages to help Haiti, the mobile company tries to set the record for world's fastest texting while skydiving and more, when Christian Lander, author of Stuff White People Like predicts that “there is a good chance that all great stories in the twenty-first century will be told via text message and when books like Texts From Last Night: no one remembers sending are creating waves.
Share your revealing, funny, substantial, and engaging text messages in the comment section here. I will publish them while concealing the identity of the sender and or receiver.Read more »
Labels: In Print, Nation, Technology, Texting
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Tuesday, April 15, 2025,
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Hunger is fat leaving body.
Labels: Chasing Life
posted by S A J Shirazi @ Saturday, April 12, 2025,
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