Independence Day Special!

A Proud Wife

Saiqa, a 64 year lady, had suffered last of challenges in life. She lost her husband after five years of her marriage. The father of her three daughters. The only roof on them. But she is proud of what she had lost. Lets read her life's summary:

"I still remember that 18^th birthday of mine when I woke up from my bed and came down the stairs to TV lounge. No one was there, there was pin drop silence. I walked into the kitchen, no one was there too. I came to lounge again and in a swift everybody pop out and said “Happy Birthday”.  Everybody gave me their gifts and my dad instead of giving me any present, gave me a envelop and said, “Go open it and come back and tell me what you feel”

I went to my room and opened it. It was a picture of a young man; it was my proposal for marriage. He was the son of my dad’s pal. He was a soldier in Pakistan Army. A bit of anxiety, contentment and melancholy came into my eyes. I came out of my room and my siblings gazed at me. My father came crosswise to me and I said, “Whatever you feel, I am content with your choice”. Those days were beautiful, when Saad (my fiancé) use to come to our house and saad use to gape at me. Days passed; finally our wedding day came, the blissful night ever.

 Saad was a soldier so he came to home on weekends. I lived with my mother in law in hasanabdal. 5 years passed so quickly and happily. I had three daughters. The youngest was 11 months old. On that weekend, Saad came to meet his daughters. We planned to have a party for our youngest daughter. It was her first birthday 6^th September 1965. We invited almost everybody. It was very early in the morning on 6^th September when saad got a call from his senior officer; he told him that India had came to the Pakistan border and will attack at any moment so he should be at his position very soon. Kissing her daughters’ faces he left dwelling. He said that he will come back today if he gets a chance to celebrate her daughter’s birthday.  He told us all to not to fret. This was the time when India was going to attack on Lahore with tanks and jet planes. I prayed and sent him with a smile. At that time Pakistan got tanks but they were very less, almost one tank of Pakistan was in front of 5 Indian tanks.

Everybody came to our house in few hours and asked about Saad. I told them everything. Everybody prayed for Saad and rest of the army. Due to bombarding everyone had to stay in our house for all day. It was 5pm when my brother knocked the door. I went to open it. He told me Saad is in a bad condition in Islamabad hospital. I was almost choked at that position. Without telling anyone that I am going to hospital, I went to hospital with my brother. There were so many curfews in the way that it took hours to reach the hospital. Finally we reached the hospital. I saw two soldiers with a dead body and I almost fainted. But I stood and went to that body and lift that white cloth and it was Saad!

.

.

.

.

.

.

.

 I shut that cloth immidiately. There was a silence; I did not know what to say. It seem as the world was stopped for few seconds. I cried as the world was ended. I was choked. black shades came infront of me. My brother shook me and said you should be proud of him. He gave his life for Pakistan.  

 At that time I wasnot in a condition to say anything but I prayed to God ,“Thank you God that you gave my husband a shaheed’s death”. In that particular seconds My whole life just ran infront of me. I thought of all the people and soldiers who died in this war. Saad death was due to a bomb, he was standing far from it but its one piece got straight into his heart. I along with my brother and soldiers went to my home, the time was 11.30pm. Saad fulfilled his promise. He came to his daughter’s birthday. I am proud to be her wife. It’s been forty six years but I still remember his white face. He wanted to so do something for his country. And he did his best to protect it. Hats off to all the forces who try their level best to protect country."