Shiv, I think this particular incident deserves greater amplification. Alavi was cashiered and thrown out of the Army, and was stunned at the way it was done, after a travesty of a court-martial, rigged by the generals who were afraid of exposure at his hands. He then wrote the matter up into a note for the Army Chief. Days before his death, he showed the note to close friends, including the BBC journalist, who advised him not to send it, in fact, to destroy it immediately. His reply was that he had already sent it. BTW, you have reported this in reverse: the original was to the COAS, the copy to the BBC friend, not the other way around.
>From that day onwards, his death was certain and clear. The Pakistani media and bloggers have picked up the story, but generally seem to have no hope whatsoever that any notice will be taken of this 'execution'. Remind me about the tag about revolutions eating their own spawn. Looks like the Pakistani Army might be looking at a future diet of generals for some time to come, until the organisation is cleansed and only right-thinking elements are left. --- On Wed, 24/12/08, ss <[email protected]> wrote: > From: ss <[email protected]> > Subject: [silk] Naipaul's Pakistan connection > To: [email protected] > Date: Wednesday, 24 December, 2008, 6:52 AM > Stephen "Uneven" Cohen a "South Asia" > expert actually wrote a fairly > perceptive book on Pakistan in which he commented that the > Pakistani army do > not generally punish others among their own ranks with > death. Even generals > who lost half the country were merely honored and let off. > > But this appears to be changing - especially in the last > 3-4 years. A number > of attempts have been made to kill senior Pakistani army > officers with the > involvement of other army people in those plots. One recent > spectacular > assassination was the killing of Gen Alavi, who was V.S. > Naipaul's brother in > law - a man who named a couple of colleagues as cooperating > with the > Talibunnies in a letter he handed to a British journalist > after he sent a > copy to the Pakistan army chief Gen Kiyani, and shortly > before he was bumped > off. > > Here is a moving tribute to the man from his daughter > > Daughter’s Tribute to General Alavi > > Category Featured Articles | Posted on December 19, 2008 | > > The daughter of late SSG commando, Maj-Gen (retd) Amir > Faisal Alavi, who is in > the US, has sent a letter on her memories of her father. > She writes: “I > vaguely remember asking my dad when I was five, how old was > your dad when he > passed away, papa? I remember my dad’s surprised look and > laughingly, he > said, 61, why?, Ooo, I said, You have a long way to go. I > was wrong, so > wrong.You went much earlier, papa. > > “Born a British national in Kenya, Alavi came to study at > Abbottabad Public > School, but later his love and zeal for the military > prompted him to renounce > his British nationality. He wrote to Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, > asking him to grant > him Pakistani nationality so he could join the Army and > that is exactly what > happened, he got his wish. “My earliest memories are of > my dad splendid in > his uniform, no nonsense formidable soldier attitude and at > the same time he > was an easygoing person, very humble, compassionate, but > very fearless. He > just loved flirting with danger, it was almost as if he > thrived on it. He had > this amazing energy around him that’s hard to describe, > just the word > military would bring a sudden change in his behaviour, it > would be hard to > control his enthusiasm, the energy radiating from him, he > drained life source > from it. > > “He had an amazing unending compassion for people and a > heart so large I doubt > it ever had walls. All you had to do was ask him and he > would give it to you. > He told me once, always look after the people below you > because that is > really what shows what kind of a person you are. He taught > me not to judge > people based on wealth, caste, their status, colour but > judge them on their > hearts. His magnanimity astounded me even at people who had > hurt him badly. I > never understood how he forgave people but he always said > to me ‘Leave it to > God’. “I still remember his enthusiasm while going on > for a Wana operation > and me as always complaining, ‘dad you are a general, > honestly how many > generals themselves go out in an operation?’ He said, > ‘You fight from the > top, the bottom will follow the top, and if I lead, my > soldiers will follow.’ > “I remember him putting a hand in his uniform and taking > out a small medallion > with Sura Yasin on it, saying what’s this?, while me and > my sister continued > to attach small medallions or Suras and prayers to his > uniform. He would > always say, ‘I am a soldier, I have no family. And that > is what always scared > me, my sister and mom to death.’ I remember whenever I > was in distress or > panic, he would gently admonish me, saying ‘Be brave, You > are Faisal Alavi’s > daughter, remember who you are,’ but I can be distressed > now can’t I, papa, > you are there no more, who do I turn to now? “I could > write a whole book on > my father but a part of me wants to keep those memories to > myself because > that’s all I have left of him. He is no more; all I have > are his memories > with me. > > “I think it was unfair of fate to give me so little time > with you, papa. You > were my best friend, my saviour, my superman more than you > were my dad and > now you left me alone. Every time, I pick up my cell, my > fingers > automatically dial your number only to realise there is no > papa anymore at > the other end. “I think the way you went away was cruel, > and the people who > did it were cowards but knowing you, I can say that is > certainly the way you > would have wanted to go. I know your only regret is you did > not have a weapon > to shoot one or two, but papa, if you had one, those > cowards would never have > come near you. “I don’t think I ever told you this dad, > even though it’s a > bit late now, I just want you to know how very proud I am > to be your > daughter, papa. I was truly blessed to have a great soldier > like you as a > dad. I won’t cry I promise, because I am your daughter > but how can I not be > sad knowing I won’t hear you, meet you or hug you ever > again. I will really > miss you, papa, I did not only lose my father, I lost my > best friend, my > saviour, my superman. > > “I promise you, papa I will fulfil every dream of yours. > I will be strong, > just don’t be mad at me for this moment of weakness, I > lost you, let me have > a moment of weakness, but I won’t go weak ever papa. I > will take care of > everything. I just want you to rest in peace papa, you > worked a lot its time > for you to rest. Amen.” > > I LOVE YOU, PAPA > > MEHVISH ZAHRA ALAVI Add more friends to your messenger and enjoy! Go to http://messenger.yahoo.com/invite/
