I remember the day when hunger
games begin at afternoon in the town. Sitting in the car, eating burger and
fries and gratifying the stream of music, who knows the scenario is going to
shambles the very next moment. But what’s that? I wonder when I give ear to the
chords outside the car. What’s happening? Are these crackers? I meditate on. I
turn around the back and hey what I am seeing is I never experienced before.
Some people appear from various corners with nonstop firing. Oh wow! The fire.
So far I am excited about the moment, murmuring to watch the whole arena. It’s a
terrorist attack on DPO office in Dera Ismail Khan adjacent to Public School.
The School! Hundreds of children and teachers are on life risk? Just imagine.
What’s forward? Both the groups are in police uniform. What’s up? Why they are
fighting against themselves? A policeman standing just two steps from me,
shouted, ‘Taliban Taliban’. The opposite group is the terrorists. Critical
moment, my driver shouts to sit back and let’s run away. No! The first thought I
am having is my brothers and sisters inside the school. Hundreds of children and
teachers are likely to face the horrible scenario. You know, it’s my former
school. Hey I can’t leave. Keeping my morale high, I am standing in the roar of
bullets. But the other moment, what my eyes are watching is the orange reddish
skyline, you know what? It blasted. Oh my God, the man is flying in the air and
he’ll never come back. The life is over in just a second.
It’s around 1:30pm and the classes are going to be over. The parents are waiting
outside the gate for their children but what I am seeing is that everyone runs
away. The guard on the other side called ‘Sojhla go inside, fast, go inside’. He
pushed me inside the gate. I can stand here but the nature wants something else.
Running towards the class, looking for my cousin sister. Oh God, she is there.
She runs and hugs me. Oh you are here I feel secure now, she giggled. Those
feelings, I can’t put them in words. Her friends gather around me, crying that
Sojhla is here. I shouted, I am here for you! They smiled with tears. The evil
monsters are making the children cry as if we are grounded? The fear all around!
What I hear next is the second blast which shakes the ground. Gosh! Dad, I need
you here. And just that moment, the bell rings, oh it’s my dad calling. Shojh?
Yes Baba! And the third blast. Here I lose my morale. ‘Baba do u hear that’?
‘Relax my daughter, all in control. We are here. Just be there with the other
people’. No more setbacks, I am alive. We are the defenders. And again I gained
my morale. The tears in the eyes of those who teach us to stay brave, makes my
heart down. Hey ma’am, what’s wrong? ‘I don’t know what is going to happen next.
I need to see my family’. Holding her hands, ma’am, we all are together. You
see? One thing I know, terrorists can’t undo us. You just wait.
I really don’t know the developing situation but I am motivating and I am not
nervous. Can you believe it? Because I can totally see myself leading a track in
Wimberley. Driving one of those Hummers, who know I might have to wrestle the
lion or do something even more dangerous. Just wait, they will write a book
about me. These are thoughts one can imagine in the situation I am facing. Isn’t
it funny? But true, trust me. Coming to the next part, you know the heart is the
most sensitive part of human, the children are in shocks, I put my hands on
their shoulders, relax girls! What do you think, how you can deliver, she cried.
My father is on life risk, he is outside there to ensure our safety, someone to
save him. This is drowning! It’s hard taking care of all my brothers and
sisters. It is dramatic, scaring, but somehow exciting.
Forget it, the reality is that we are detained for now. But my hopes get higher
and higher. You know why? Because they are here. Who? The Pakistan Army, the
forces, who are fighting for our freedom. I am relaxed. We are now moving
towards the quarters of the school guard. Huh, this is congested. But the
children are getting better, talking to each other, some laughing upon the
situation, as if its funny? Maybe.
I want to mention that all the time my brothers in the other campus are in my
mind. Thinking all the way in the thunder of bullets and blasts, you find? I
badly need to see them. Oh God, keep them save. My mother is waiting for us to
return and have some lunch. I think my voice is going way. But then you know
what I find, a young handsome boy smiling and saying to her teacher, I am fine!
Tell my mom not to worry about, I am a brave boy. We can handle this. Yes! We
can. After the exchange of bullets of almost two hours, I can feel peace in the
air. What I am hearing? We are safe now because Pakistan Army won the game for
us. I am sure you know of whom I am talking about. One and only, the Defenders
of the Nation ‘The Pakistan Army’. And what I said before that we can’t be
grounded. Now I can move out of the so called cage, do you know I can fly? No
really, I can. Alright I am excited. I just can’t wait to see my brothers there
safe and sound and I will, oh! I just can’t wait. Going in the queue and being
covered by the soldiers is a huge swag. Have you ever heard anything cooler than
that? Lol. Hey, my brothers are safe there. I just can’t control my feelings.
This is driving me just crazy. We all are together now, talking, laughing and
celebrating the win. But look what I see there, the Mom and Dad are standing
there extending their arms and hugging their children. Can you just feel such
emotions? It’s love. It’s different. Trust me. I can feel that. After some
moments, we move towards our homes and the air is cooler than ever. Wow, I am
alive and I really can lead the track now. We can never be defeated. I love
Pakistan Army and feel proud of them. I Army!
(SOJHLA JAMSHAID IS DDS STUDENT AT THE FJWU, RAWALPINDI)