Page 7 - Pakistan Link - October 19, 2018

OPINION OCTOBER 19, 2018 – PAKISTAN LINK – P7

n By Dr Akbar Ahmed Remembering Ayub Khan - Part I
American University youngest son Tahir who had been at school
Washington, DC with me at Burn Hall, Abbottabad. He said
Tahir would be joining Cambridge University
y last image of President Ayub and as I would there too he would be grateful
Khan is of a man standing in his if I kept an eye on him.
Mporch in the hot sun waving me Most of the students were undergradu-
goodbye. It was just before he died in 1974, ates, and my age of 21 years was about the
and I had called on him to tell average in that group. At that age young men
him I was leaving for England tend to be notoriously impressionable in their
for a short course. He had not judgment. With his pep talk and confident and
been well, but was animated dignified bearing accentuated by his immacu-
in our conversation, asking late appearance- well-cut suit, smartly knotted
about new books and ideas. tie and karakuli - Ayub Khan made a positive
As I got up to leave he and impression on us.
Maaji both came out to the Besides, which young Pakistani in the
porch to see me off. It was the courtesy of a mid-1960s could forget the pictures of the en-
true officer and gentleman, although I was thusiastic crowds who received him at Heath-
aware of our age difference and insisted that row airport? The headlines, I recall, went
he not come outside. The late spring sun something like this, “A reception the Beatles
beat down upon us. would envy.” We saw on black and white
I got into the borrowed car of a friend television how world leaders at the Com-
which refused to start. I pumped the gas vig- monwealth conference honored Ayub Khan.
orously, pushed the gears about, switched off I recall President Kenyatta of Kenya saying
and on; the ignition, all to no avail. President several times, “as my distinguished colleague,
Ayub and Maaji continued to stand patiently President Ayub Khan has stated…” or words
in the porch. Finally, I gave in to the ultimate to that effect. When he arrived at Cairo airport
humiliation of going round the back of the he was greeted by President Nasser and some
house to look for a gardener or guard to help President Kennedy, Begum Nasim Aurangzeb (daughter of President Ayub), Jackie Kennedy and Presi- of the world’s most famous leaders in an un-
push-start the car. After a few awkward coughs dent Muhammad Ayub Khan, Mount Vernon, 1961 precedented reception.
and splutters the car started. My last sight of We were aware of the rare honors he was
the two of them was in the porch in that heat, by the Queen at Buckingham Palace and the the President walked in, escorted by the High given in Washington, DC which began with
standing to the last to see me off. Kennedys at an unprecedented state dinner at Commissioner. He urged us to study hard and President and Jackie Kennedy receiving him
Ayub Khan has his well-wishers and his Mount Vernon and was honored by a ticker be good ambassadors for Pakistan. When he at the airport. In turn, Jackie Kennedy visited
detractors. Some look back to that time as tape parade in New York; world leaders such Pakistan and was rapturously welcomed by
Pakistan’s golden age, others as the period that as Eisenhower and De Gaulle were his fans. He was hosted by the adoring Pakistanis. The sight of their Presi-
established the precedent of imposing martial But at heart he was that simple villager from Queen at Buckingham dent alongside Jackie in a stately carriage as it
law. My piece does not enter that debate. I sim- his humble village Rehana in Hazara. He had drove through Lahore excited the crowds. In-
ply wish to share my personal memories of the begun life there and he would return there Palace and the Kennedys deed, Jackie would always harbor a soft spot
man. to be buried with his ancestors. With him on at an unprecedented state for President Ayub Khan and his country. He
I had seen Ayub Khan as a president at his journey, always by his side, was his faith- presented her with a beautiful black stallion
the height of his power, then as a president ig- ful wife. She was a cousin and just as simple at dinner at Mount Vernon named Sardar. It was part of President Ken-
nominiously ousted, and finally as a president heart as he was. Everyone called her Maaji - or and was honored by a nedy’s cortege at his funeral.
old and frail, “all power spent,” just before his dear mother. Ayub’s Muslim Family Laws Ordinance
death. Throughout the ups and downs of his I first met President Ayub Khan in 1964 ticker tape parade in aimed to empower women, especially in mat-
life I noted a consistency in how he carried when he was visiting London and the Pakistan New York ters of marriage and divorce. Pakistan had just
himself with simplicity and dignity. He had High Commission invited the presidents of launched a sleek new airline, Pakistan Inter-
risen to the heights of dizzying power – he the Pakistan societies in the UK to meet him. found his way to me and I introduced myself national Airlines, and the economy appeared
carried the title of Field Marshal, was hosted There were some 20 of us in the room when he appeared to brighten and talked about his AYUB, P28

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