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    Book Review: 'Rawul Pindee: The Raj Years' by Ali Khan Published by Murree Brewery Co. Ltd., 2015

    Written by: Dr. Dushka H. Saiyid
    Posted on: December 18, 2015 |

    The Military Accounts Office

    The launch of this coffee table book took place in the Islamabad Club to a packed auditorium with a sprinkling of old Pindiites. It felt more like a memoriam for what was once a beautiful colonial garrison town that has been allowed to degenerate into an unrecognizably congested and polluted city.

    With a foreword by Isphanyar Bhandara, the CEO and owner of Murree Brewery that has sponsored this book, it is the first of its kind on Rawalpindi. Ali Akbar Khan has done diligent research into the history of Rawalpindi that is interspersed with anecdotal accounts of the colonial period.

    Old Rawalpindi

    Hathi Chowk, 1910

    The book has been enriched by the treasure trove of photographs emailed to him by Neville Thomas from New Zealand. These photographs had been taken by Hal Waters, Neville’s father-in-law, who had grown up in Rawalpindi, where his father was the headmaster of the Station European School from 1884-1912. Hal had joined the North Western Railway and got an opportunity to travel all over India, and indulge his love for photography.

    The book gives a historical account of the founding of Rawalpindi as a garrison town. Once the Sikhs were defeated and Punjab annexed to the British India Empire in 1849, the town of Rawalpindi on the bank of River Leh, seemed an ideal place for the centre of the northern command. Its strategic importance was greatly enhanced when it was connected to the rest of India with a railway line in 1886. All those wanting to reach Kashmir would take the train to Rawalpindi, and proceed from there by horse carriage, or in the latter days of the Empire by car.

    Rawalpindi Railway Station, 1885

    Rawalpindi Railway Station, 1885

    Included in the book are extracts from the Rafique Memoirs, and similar reminiscences from Norma Probert about Rawalpindi in the first half of the 20th century, before the fabric of the society was torn asunder by Partition. Their accounts evoke an era in which different communities lived in peaceful coexistence because the colonial state’s governance was underpinned by a strong system of law and order. Ms Probert paints a vivid picture of being served nimboo-pani (a fresh lime drink) in the evenings when the family sat out in the garden or the verandah, and the pleasing smell of hot earth as the gardener watered it.  

    The Lalkurti area of the city had a concentration of the Anglo-Indians (of mixed European and Indian descent), who were entrusted with manning the sensitive communications sector, whether the railways or the telegraph. The Victoria Barracks that now house the General Headquarters of the Pakistan Army, are also in the same vicinity. The author has included some fascinating vignettes, but without giving the sources. He quotes from a “recent” speech by an Anglo-Indian in Sydney about the role played by his community in British India, and their emigration and loss of identity as a consequence of Partition; a glimpse into a community that is no more, and insight into a unique slice of social history. 

    Old Rawalpindi

    Military barracks

    A Parsi who left a mark on Rawalpindi was Commodore Dhanjibhoy. He ran a transport service consisting of a tonga pulled by two horses, all the way to Srinagar via Murree. The famous Massey Gate, which stood at the entrance of the Saddar bazaar, housed the Dhanjibhoy library in its upper portion. The Bhandara family is now one of the few Parsis left in Rawalpindi and they own the only brewery in Pakistan; Bapsi Sidhwa, the novelist, is its most famous member.

    The book is an eclectic collection of snippets of history of Rawalpindi and some of the leaders who played a role in shaping it: John Nicholson, whose monument towers over the G.T. Road as we cross the chain of Margalla Hills on the way to Taxila; some of the adventurers who visited the area and trained the Sikh armies, and T.C. Flashman who established the landmark Flashman’s Hotel on the Mall Road.

    Saddar Bazaar, inside the Massey Gate (1910)

    Saddar Bazaar, inside the Massey Gate (1910)

    A sense of nostalgia prevails throughout the book for a bygone era. The author recalls with some pride how the Rawalpindi Review took place in the Khanna Plain ( now occupied by the Islamabad Airport), with the Prince of Wales George and Princess Mary reviewing the parade. It is only at the end that a grim reminder of the dark side of colonialism makes an appearance with mention of the Rawalpindi Experiments conducted in the 1930s and 40s in the Military Hospital. The authoritative daily Guardian is quoted as stating that, “British scientists sent hundreds of Indian soldiers into gas chambers and exposed them to mustard gas”.

    Ali Khan has successfully evoked and brought to life the colonial era through an interesting amalgam of vintage photographs, long forgotten historical facts and figures that have shaped the history of Rawalpindi and its environs. It is an invaluable contribution, and strongly recommended to those who wish to understand the influences that have shaped our present identity and left an impact on the Pothohar.


    As the new year begins, let us also start anew. I’m delighted to extend, on behalf of the Embassy of the People’s Republic of China in the Islamic Republic of Pakistan and in my own name, new year’s greeting and sincere wishes to YOULIN magazine’s staff and readers.

    Only in hard times can courage and perseverance be manifested. Only with courage can we live to the fullest. 2020 was an extraordinary year. Confronted by the COVID-19 pandemic, China and Pakistan supported each other and took on the challenge in solidarity. The ironclad China-Pakistan friendship grew stronger as time went by. The China Pakistan Economic Corridor projects advanced steadily in difficult times, become a standard-bearer project of the Belt and Road Initiative in balancing pandemic prevention and project achievement. The handling capacity of the Gwadar Port has continued to rise and Afghanistan transit trade through the port has officially been launched. The Karakoram Highway Phase II upgrade project is fully open to traffic. The Lahore Orange Line project has been put into operation. The construction of Matiari-Lahore HVDC project was fully completed. A batch of green and clean energy projects, such as the Kohala and Azad Pattan hydropower plants have been substantially promoted. Development agreement for the Rashakai SEZ has been signed. The China-Pakistan Community of Shared Future has become closer and closer.

    Reviewing the past and looking to the future, we are confident to write a brilliant new chapter. The year 2021 is the 100th birthday of the Communist Party of China (CPC) and the 70th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between China and Pakistan. The 100-year journey of CPC surges forward with great momentum and China-Pakistan relationship has flourished in the past 70 years. Standing at a new historic point, China is willing to work together with Pakistan to further implement the consensus reached by the leaders of the two countries, connect the CPEC cooperation with the vision of the “Naya Pakistan”, promote the long-term development of the China-Pakistan All-weather Strategic Cooperative Partnership with love, dedication and commitment. Mohammad Ali Jinnah, the founding father of Pakistan said, “We are going through fire. The sunshine has yet to come.” Yes, Pakistan’s best days are ahead, China will stand with Pakistan firmly all the way.

    YOULIN magazine is dedicated to promoting cultural exchanges between China and Pakistan and is a window for Pakistani friends to learn about China, especially the Xinjiang Uygur Autonomous Region. It is hoped that with the joint efforts of China and Pakistan, YOULIN can listen more to the voices of readers in China and Pakistan, better play its role as a bridge to promote more effectively people-to-people bond.

    Last but not least, I would like to wish all the staff and readers of YOULIN a warm and prosper year in 2021.

    Nong Rong Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of
    The People’s Republic of China to the Islamic Republic of Pakistan
    January 2021