During 1965 war my family of five members, including three kids, lived in Peshawar. My father, (“Allah bakshe”), was Manager State Bank of Pakistan, Peshawar. Manager’s residence was in State Bank building, Saddar Road. Now this residence is at Fort Road.
India was very heavily bombing Peshawar, PAF Headquarters. Many people were leaving Peshawar to its suburbs for safety. But we continued living in State Bank building with the hustle and bustle of the crowded and commercial main Saddar Road. Everybody was offering my father, (“Allah Bakshe”), their homes in and around suburbs of Peshawar for safety.
Peshawar gave a very deserted look. Shops and traffic were closed. Life had come to a standstill. My father, (“Allah Bakshe”), was extremely loyal, stsyed in the building with guards but wanted my mother, (“Allah Bakhshe”), me, my little brother and my little sister to shift to any of our well-wishers homes in suburbs of Peshawar. We did not want to leave our father, (“Allah bakhshe”) alone.
As India kept bombing Peshawar ruthlessly we took shelter under the suffocating stair cases during this 17-day war as my father, (“Allah bakshe”) managed family and office with faith in Allah, matchless will power, little grocery, limited ration and whatever security available.
