Midshipmen of our day, and for quite some time thereafter, used to spend two terms, about a year in all, on board the training ship PNS BABUR, on conclusion of which they were subjected to the gruelling Midshipmen Fleetboard exams. With BABUR scheduled to go into long refit, our midshipman class got dispersed, some getting transferred to destroyers and some to smaller vessels like minesweepers…
Seafearing Vibes 1
A warship, or a naval establishment for that matter, encompasses a space of great activity – administrative, operational, technical, social and the routine. Humour too comes along in small doses to relieve the drudgery of the daily routine: as a welcome respite to some, as an unintended insult to others. The episodes being narrated here are based on an actual real time environment, though the…
An Eternal Query
All along life’s bitter paths I have trod and learned, The sole reality is God So to God I turned.
From Devonport With Love
My dearest darlings, here I am Forlorn in a foreign land; Sweet smells of life abound, Colour and toys and chocs around.
Pakistan As A Key Player In The Regional Logistics Chain
The foremost question we need to ask ourselves is whether Pakistan has got what it takes to be a key player in the regional logistics chain. Though certainly endowed with the right credentials, it’s aspirations will remain a mirage unless it learns to embrace new concepts, act decisively in the national interest and formulate policies that encourage efficiency.
To The Submarine Newsletter – A Tribute
The SNL, we all agree, To a relative degree, Is a work that merits praise, Even from those above the waves.
Winning Hearts And Minds In Balochistan The Navy Way
Balochistan is in turmoil. This is the impression one gets, judging from the news, mostly negative, emanating from that unfortunate province. We keep hearing about the rampant drug and human smuggling rackets, about targeted killings and body dumpings, forced disappearances, cross-border attacks, sectarian massacres et al. While Balochistan burns, it’s elected parliamentary representatives, all of them without exception holding a ministerial portfolio of sorts, can’t…
Challenges And Opportunities In The Maritime Sphere
In Pakistan, those entrusted with national planning never tire of speaking about the country’s central geographical location. Our military keeps discussing our superior strategic orientation. Our economists speak in glowing terms of our geo-economic potential. All this is just idle talk until we not only formulate but also implement a viable and well-thought out strategy designed to exploit our natural advantages. One area which best…
Morning Watch
You see the varying hues Of the sea and sky, Mingle and blend Like an alchemists potion, Fruitlessly simmering In this all-encompassing plasma.
Thinking Positive
When my marriage date was settled (a long, long time ago), I decided to apply for a month’s leave. Being a staff officer at Naval Headquarters at the time, I didn’t think that getting such leave would pose much of a problem, reckoning in my own way that a small fry like me would hardly be missed. I relaxed a bit more when my application…
