The year was 1988. I was at that time a student of second year FSc in FG Sir Syed College Rawalpindi. Democracy had been restored just two years ago after the death of President Zia. People’s party was in power and the then Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto had given permission to student political parties to resume their activities. There was PSF (People’s Student Federation), there was MSF (Muslim Students Federation) and there was Jamiyat. Different parties had hold in different colleges. At one place it was PSF and at another MSF and yet another it was the Jamiyat. There wasn’t a day in college that anyone of them didn’t quarrel over something. In plain words it was pure bullshit. But the students mostly loved it, it gave them a chance to stay away from studies by providing cheap pathetic entertainment.
So one day a group of boys were following a lone student from another political party. I was sitting near the college gate and the boy being followed passed by me. Just then one of the students who happened to be from a different party and was following the victim took out a 32 revolver, (an old side break type in pathetic condition) at shot at the boy. The bang surprised everyone. The distance was less than 5 meters but he missed. Then he tried again but it misfired the second time. The boy being followed ran like hell and got lost in the crowd. It was a scary sight, one that I will never forget but Thank God that day the shooter missed first shot and the second one was lost to the pathetic old revolver, or else someone must have died an untimely death. This incident in fresh in my memory to this day so much so that a few months ago I went to my college and recalled the exact spot where the shooting took place. Just few days ago the PM has agreed to restore student unions subject to some conditions. I just hope the bad old days of larayi and mar kutayee don’t come back.
My Random Ramblings 