ARMY
As I have stated earlier, my passion was to be a soldier and that profession I wanted to pursue. I had joined the PAF with Matric as my only qualification, as that was the requirement at that time for selection of GD pilot. However, for joining the Army, the minimum academic qualification was Intermediate. In this scenario there were two challenges; one that I had failed to become a GD pilot and returned home empty handed, and the other impediment was that I could not apply for the Army as I was only matric. I had to therefore do a crash course as a private student to get an Intermediate qualification. We were living in Model Town in those days, and there was a small veranda away from the main house. I chose this area as my study room, confined myself to that area, avoided all friends and other social activities and games etc, and prepared for the intermediate exam. Allah was very kind to me, and I passed my exams with second division.
This was the start of a new adventure. This time I was looking for an opening in the ground forces. Now that I was qualified (Intermediate) for applying for commission in the Pakistan Army, I was aiming to look for a fresh start. Having taken the decision for my fresh exploits, I started visiting the Army selection center. The procedure for getting into the Pakistan Military Academy is almost the same as PAF. Luckily, the ad for selection in the Army was in the papers and accordingly I went to the selection center. Depositing the required papers, filling in forms, appearing in the preliminary written test and, having qualified, I was asked to come back the next day for a psychology test and a medical test. I was recommended by the selection board to appear for ISSB at Kohat, for which we had to await written call-up letters from the selection center. The call-up letter arrived in due course, and I was all set to go to Kohat. Once again, financial assistance from parents was requested, which was gladly extended. I appeared one more time for ISSB, and qualified.
ISSB (Inter Services Selection Board)
A word about ISSB (Inter Services Selection Board), The selection board comprises of duly qualified all arms officers, i.e., from the Army, Air force and Navy with several other individuals spread over the entire infrastructure.
ISSB is designed to evaluate personnel traits, both mental and physical, and the general outlook towards life, with a particular stress on leadership qualities. The program is based on the evaluation system of the Royal British Army. It is conducted along the same lines which, on the final analysis, weeds out those who lack the leadership qualities, and retains those who have an analytical mind, physical competence to execute and accomplish assigned task in a result orientated manner as per the scripted details. Positive and novel ideas are also welcomed; however, they are tested by a selected group of individuals who either approve or disapprove of the way to handle a task to achieve the desired result, and consequently form part of the testing program. The evaluation is spread over four days, and all performances are judged by a committee. Those who meet the desired prescribed standards are graded as per their performance, and according to the results achieved are selected or otherwise. The consolidated results are sent to GHQ, where several candidates, as per the Army’s requirement, are selected, and a call up notice accordingly sent to their place of residence in due course. All aspiring candidates are given four chances to appear for ISSB, if they lose all their chances, they are barred from appearing in the test for all times.
Having got selected at the ISSB, I returned home and waited for the call up letter, which arrived in due course. I was accordingly asked to reach Abbottabad, from where the Army transport would take the cadets to the Pakistan Military Academy in Kakul. I was to join 41st PMA Long Course – Oct 1969.
I took a bus from Rawalpindi to Abbottabad, where we arrived almost midday. Soon we were a group of some twenty odd cadets who started closing in, with our luggage, to the place where the army vehicles were parked. The transport for us was military trucks, and as the maximum number to fit on truck was reached, the in-charge of the receiving party asked to load our belongings onto the truck and take a seat on the wooden benches inside the truck. The same procedure was followed on arrival at the academy. The place where we were parked and disembarked, we learnt later, was Hockey Khalid.