A Trip to Wagah
This is the story of a trip to Wagah that I had with my colleagues at Innovative. Salman and Khakan asked me to write a technical report on our visit, but I found it to be a good idea and thought of writing the moments down in the form of a story rather than a technical report.
For those of you who are foreigners, Wagah is a border outpost that is located near the city of Lahore on the Pakistani side of the Punjab province. On the other side of the border lies India, our neighboring enemy country. Wagah is famous for a military drill ritual by both countries that takes place every evening and at the break of dawn. The drill ritual is so impressive in its execution that it draws hundreds of onlookers to Wagah from both sides of the border daily.
Yesterday, 17th of May 2003, I was sitting in my department, at office, with a few of my colleagues. Although it was the weekend, but I decided to go to office and do a little work. After completing my tasks, I went to the Q.A department to meet the guys there. Khakan, Abrar and Wajih were there waiting for the clock to tick 7:00 PM, so that they can all go home. We started some discussion when Kashif and Salman came in. They both proposed us for a trip to Wagah border for the flag lowering military drill.
After quite some thinking I, Khakhan and Abrar agreed to join Salman and Kashif for the trip. Kashif went home with Salman to get his car and came back to office for picking us up. We started our journey at 1700 hrs from the office. There was another guy, Sajjad whom we picked up on our way to Wagah. I had to sit in a very awkward position to give room to Sajjad. My left leg decided to go to sleep and it was almost like dead when we reached Wagah and were getting off the car. We had made it in time, the ceremony was just about to start. We reached the gallery, but had to stand in order to view the drill because otherwise our view would have only shown us the legs and the backs of all the men standing in the gallery, this was obviously not what we had gone there for.
The drill started with the recitation of verses from Quran. The sound of the bugle and the marching of the Rangers personnel started the drill. Their boots thundered on the ground, stamping their authorities. It was almost as if they were trampling upon the enemy with each step. They stoped just short of the border gate with hands on hips, eyes blazing and an audible snorting sound. Like a lion forced in its tracks just before the kill. These were the men of Pakistan Rangers, guarding the Wagah border, during the ceremony. The same drill simultaneously takes place on the other side of the Indian gate. The only difference is that the Rangers men in their Pathan suits are replaced by the Indian BSF (Border Security Forces) in their ceremonial uniform, across the border.
People on both sides were chanting slogans. The sound of Pakistan Zindabad (Long Live Pakistan) and other slogans were being raised by the public in support of the Rangers personnel performing the drill on the ground. One Rangers personnel marched towards the Pakistani gate, with legs raised high and unbent at the knees, and threw it open with great force. The Indian gate too was thrown open. The BSF personnel and the Ranger marched towards each other, covering the three meters distance between the two gates and then stopped, facing each other eyeball-to-eyeball. Their boots almost touching. unsmiling and unblinking. The tension is palpable. Then suddenly they shake hands but the expression remained unchanged. The 15-minutes drill came to an end after the flags were lowered and were handed over to the authorities.
Me and Abrar lost sight of the others while coming down from the gallery, however we soon found them by tracing Khakan, because of his beautiful and shining bald. On our way back everyone decided to say the Asar prayers. I was a bit hesitant in offering my prayers, but I changed my mind when Khakan asked me that what would I do, when the angels on the day-of-judgment will be preparing my technical report?
After saying our prayers, we all got into the car and started our journey back. The guys talked on different topics one of which was the desire to visit the historical place in India. I remained silent and just listened to the conversation, the only place on this earth where I would love to go is Microsoft Headquarters in Redmond. We stopped at a shop at Mughalpura and had a glass of milk and then Sajjad went home and we all came back to office. As I entered the office I was greeted by an innocent smile of a very cute child, Komal, standing next to Amna who was waiting for Sakina to leave for home with.
So, this was the story of our little trip to Wagah border, I hope that the readers would have enjoyed it as I am not a very good story writer. I came to know this when some of my stories were rejected by Lady Bird, Grand Dreams and Walt Disney. Anyway, the suggestions for improvement are always welcomed by me, so if you have got one do send it to me.