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Salute / سلیوٹ
Salute is the autobiography of Brigadier Siddique Salik, former Director General of ISPR. The book was published shortly after the death of Salik in plane crash with General Zia-Ul-Haq in 1988.
He prefaced the book with these words:
میں نے جب اپنی عسکری زندگی کی یاداشتیں رقم کرنے کا ارادہ کیا تو خیال تھا کہ میرے دامن میں بہت کچھ ہے ، لکھنے بیٹھا تو محسوس ہوا کچھ بھی نہیں۔ ۔ ۔ ۔
مجھے جس واقعہ کا جتنا سراغ ملا اور جس شخصیت کو جس روپ میں دیکھا، رقم کر دیا۔ میں نے وقائع نگاری کی آڑ میں افسانہ طرازی کی ہے نہ شخصیت نگاری کی آڑ میں کسی کی کردار کشی۔ میری نظر واقعات کی صحت اور میری سماعت ضمیر کی آواز پر رہی۔ ۔ ۔ ۔ اور مجھے خود نوشت کا اس سے بہتر اسلوب معلوم نہیں۔
He prefaced the book with these words:
میں نے جب اپنی عسکری زندگی کی یاداشتیں رقم کرنے کا ارادہ کیا تو خیال تھا کہ میرے دامن میں بہت کچھ ہے ، لکھنے بیٹھا تو محسوس ہوا کچھ بھی نہیں۔ ۔ ۔ ۔
مجھے جس واقعہ کا جتنا سراغ ملا اور جس شخصیت کو جس روپ میں دیکھا، رقم کر دیا۔ میں نے وقائع نگاری کی آڑ میں افسانہ طرازی کی ہے نہ شخصیت نگاری کی آڑ میں کسی کی کردار کشی۔ میری نظر واقعات کی صحت اور میری سماعت ضمیر کی آواز پر رہی۔ ۔ ۔ ۔ اور مجھے خود نوشت کا اس سے بہتر اسلوب معلوم نہیں۔
208 pages, Hardcover
First published January 1, 1988
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About the author
Siddique Salik
19 books43 followersBrigadier-General Muhammad Siddique Salik (محمد صدیق سالک) was a Pakistani writer, a high profile military officer and public face of President General Zia-ul-Haq’s military government.
He was born in Manglia, a village in Kharian, District Gujrat, Punjab, British India. He graduated from Islamia College, Lahore earning a master’s degree in English literature and a diploma in International Relations. During his student days he edited college magazines Crescent and Faran.
Initially he taught English in Faisalabad and Mansehra but quit teaching after a few years and joined, as an assistant editor, Pak Jamhooriyat, an English weekly published by the Government of Pakistan. In 1964, he joined Pakistan army and was appointed in Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) as staff officer grade 3. In 1965, he witnessed and covered the Indo-Pak war of 1965. In 1970, he was sent to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as Major, where he was made a prisoner of war by India. He was incarcerated in Agra jail before being shifted to various other prisons. He wrote a book titled “Witness to Surrender” (Urdu version: میں نے ڈھاکہ ڈوبتے دیکھا) based on his recollection of the 1971 war and fall of Dhaka. Another book “Humaa Yaraan Dozakh" (ہمہ یاراں دوزخ), which is a recollection of his years as a prisoner of war in India.
He was eventually handed over to Pakistan under the Simla Agreement and returned home in 1973. After 1977 coup, he was made General Zia-ul-Haq’s speech writer and press secretary. Later on, he was appointed as media minister and Directorate-General of ISPR under military government. He died on 17 August 1988, in a plane crash with President Zia-ul-Haq and other high ranking personalities.
Siddique Salik authored 6 Urdu and 3 English books that include:
- Witness to Surrender
- میں نے ڈھاکہ ڈوبتے دیکھا
- ہمہ یاراں دوزخ
- تا دمِ تحریر
- ایمرجنسی
- پریشرکُکر
- سلیوٹ
- State vs Politics, A case study of Pakistan.
- Wounded Pride
He was born in Manglia, a village in Kharian, District Gujrat, Punjab, British India. He graduated from Islamia College, Lahore earning a master’s degree in English literature and a diploma in International Relations. During his student days he edited college magazines Crescent and Faran.
Initially he taught English in Faisalabad and Mansehra but quit teaching after a few years and joined, as an assistant editor, Pak Jamhooriyat, an English weekly published by the Government of Pakistan. In 1964, he joined Pakistan army and was appointed in Inter Services Public Relations (ISPR) as staff officer grade 3. In 1965, he witnessed and covered the Indo-Pak war of 1965. In 1970, he was sent to East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) as Major, where he was made a prisoner of war by India. He was incarcerated in Agra jail before being shifted to various other prisons. He wrote a book titled “Witness to Surrender” (Urdu version: میں نے ڈھاکہ ڈوبتے دیکھا) based on his recollection of the 1971 war and fall of Dhaka. Another book “Humaa Yaraan Dozakh" (ہمہ یاراں دوزخ), which is a recollection of his years as a prisoner of war in India.
He was eventually handed over to Pakistan under the Simla Agreement and returned home in 1973. After 1977 coup, he was made General Zia-ul-Haq’s speech writer and press secretary. Later on, he was appointed as media minister and Directorate-General of ISPR under military government. He died on 17 August 1988, in a plane crash with President Zia-ul-Haq and other high ranking personalities.
Siddique Salik authored 6 Urdu and 3 English books that include:
- Witness to Surrender
- میں نے ڈھاکہ ڈوبتے دیکھا
- ہمہ یاراں دوزخ
- تا دمِ تحریر
- ایمرجنسی
- پریشرکُکر
- سلیوٹ
- State vs Politics, A case study of Pakistan.
- Wounded Pride
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Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews
February 7, 2021
This is the autobiography of Siddiq Salik,author of Witness to Surrender (the fall of Dacca) and Haman Yaran Dozakh (a memoir of a prisoner of war in India).
Life began for him,as it did for most officers of that era,in a Punjabi village.Despite being poor,he got an education and became a lecturer.But soon he realized that in Pakistani society,he wouldn't have any importance unless he became an officer.
So,he joined the army.But as he puts it,he was over qualified for the army having acquired some needless education.In those days,mess life was heavily influenced by the British tradition of drinking and he was a teetotaller,a misfit.He was told,that to get promoted,he would have to change his ways.But as time passed,the army itself began to change.
He was in the public relations department and got to work with a lot of generals and had interactions with the international media during the 1965 war.
He was then sent to East Pakistan before the 1971 war.There,everyone was aware that the army's situation was very precarious.The local population was hostile,they were a thousand miles away from West Pakistan,they lacked tanks,heavy weapons and aircraft and the Indian army was a far larger force.No matter how much they wargamed,it wasn't going to work.
He gives his impressions of the generals in East Pakistan,particularly General Niazi,the commander.That is not a flattering account.
After spending time as a prisoner of war,he came back and caught the eye of General Zia ul Haq,who was impressed by his books.Zia called him straightaway after he deposed Z.A.Bhutto,and made Salik his P.R. man.Later,he worked in Martial Law Headquarters.
Salik wanted to leave the army,but wasn't being let go.This book had not been published yet when both Zia and Salik were killed with dozens of generals (and the American ambassador and Military Attache) in the 17th August 1988 air crash.
The book was published posthumously,it was Salik's last salute.Had he lived,he would surely have written many more books in his trademark style,which combined humour and pathos.And he could have given his honest impressions of Zia too,that was not to be.
It was of particular interest to me,as he served in the same era as my father.
Life began for him,as it did for most officers of that era,in a Punjabi village.Despite being poor,he got an education and became a lecturer.But soon he realized that in Pakistani society,he wouldn't have any importance unless he became an officer.
So,he joined the army.But as he puts it,he was over qualified for the army having acquired some needless education.In those days,mess life was heavily influenced by the British tradition of drinking and he was a teetotaller,a misfit.He was told,that to get promoted,he would have to change his ways.But as time passed,the army itself began to change.
He was in the public relations department and got to work with a lot of generals and had interactions with the international media during the 1965 war.
He was then sent to East Pakistan before the 1971 war.There,everyone was aware that the army's situation was very precarious.The local population was hostile,they were a thousand miles away from West Pakistan,they lacked tanks,heavy weapons and aircraft and the Indian army was a far larger force.No matter how much they wargamed,it wasn't going to work.
He gives his impressions of the generals in East Pakistan,particularly General Niazi,the commander.That is not a flattering account.
After spending time as a prisoner of war,he came back and caught the eye of General Zia ul Haq,who was impressed by his books.Zia called him straightaway after he deposed Z.A.Bhutto,and made Salik his P.R. man.Later,he worked in Martial Law Headquarters.
Salik wanted to leave the army,but wasn't being let go.This book had not been published yet when both Zia and Salik were killed with dozens of generals (and the American ambassador and Military Attache) in the 17th August 1988 air crash.
The book was published posthumously,it was Salik's last salute.Had he lived,he would surely have written many more books in his trademark style,which combined humour and pathos.And he could have given his honest impressions of Zia too,that was not to be.
It was of particular interest to me,as he served in the same era as my father.
July 26, 2020
Really an outstanding example of good humor. "Salute" is the autobiographical account of Brigadier Siddique Salik, Director General of ISPR, who alongwith General Zia-ul-Haq perished in the ill-fated plane crash. Brig. Siddiq Salik belongs to a generation of officers that entered the armed forces in the 1960s to be counted to the American generation of officers. Before joining the armed services he pursued an academic career, studying and teaching English literature at university. The book details out his life in the Army, with really humorous anecdotes here and there. Focusing on the individual experiences of serving in Army, the autobiographies of the army officers written in 1970s and 80s nonetheless accuse or at least ridicule the British generation of Pakistani officers in top positions, revealing their misdeeds and tendency to clear themselves from responsibilities.
April 10, 2016
کہنے کو یہ صدیق سالک کی خود نوشت سوانح عمری ہے مگر صفحہ اول پہ "سلیوٹ ـ عسکری زندگی کے ماہ و سال" لکھا ہوا ہے جس کے بعد اگر یہ کہا جائے کہ یہ بنیادی طور مصنف کی پاک فوج سے متعلق یاداشت ہے تو زیادہ مناسب ہوگا۔
کتاب کی اصل کشش میرے خیال میں پاک فوج کے 60ء کی دہائی سے لے کر سقوطِ ڈھاکہ تک کے اندرونی حالات کا اجمالی ذکر ہے جو کہ کافی حد تک تعصب سے پاک اور دیانت پر مبنی ہے اور اگر اس دور کی فوج سے متعلق کسی نے ابتدائی معلومات جاننی ہوں تو یہ کتاب پڑھنی چاہیئے۔
اس کے علاوہ صدر ایوب، جنرل یحییٰ خان، جنرل اسحاق خان، جنرل صاحبزادہ یعقوب خان، جنرل ٹکا خان اور جنرل نیازی جیسی تاریخ ساز شخصیات سے متعلق مصنف کے ذاتی تاثرات بھی خاصے کی چیز ہیں۔ اگرچہ ان تاثرات کو شخصیت نگاری نہیں کہہ سکتے کہ ہر ایک صاحب سے متعلق ایک ایک یا دو واقعات ہی تحریر کیے گئے ہیں مگر عقلمند را اشارہ کافی است! تو میرے خیال میں فوج کی ان تاریخ ساز مگر متنازعہ شخصیات سے متعلق کافی اشارے اس کتاب میں موجود ہیں۔
مصنف کی عمر اور عمر بھر کے تجربات کو دیکھتے ہوئے، نیز اردو میں رائج سوانح حیات کی ضخامت کے اعتبار سے یہ کتاب کافی مختصر ہے اور واقعات کی ترتیب میں بھی جگہ جگہ خلا محسوس ہوتا ہے جس کا ذکر خود دیباچے میں کیا گیا ہے مگر سوانح حیات کے شوقین اور فوج کے متعلق متجسس قارئین کو یہ کتاب مایوس نہیں کرے گی۔
ممکن تھا کہ سوانح عمری کے طور پر شاید اور بھی بہت کچھ لکھا جاسکتا، مگر بحیثیت فوجی اس سے زیادہ دیانت داری سے اپنے افسران اور اپنے ادارے کے متعلق لکھا جانا شاید ممکن نہ تھا۔
کتاب کی اصل کشش میرے خیال میں پاک فوج کے 60ء کی دہائی سے لے کر سقوطِ ڈھاکہ تک کے اندرونی حالات کا اجمالی ذکر ہے جو کہ کافی حد تک تعصب سے پاک اور دیانت پر مبنی ہے اور اگر اس دور کی فوج سے متعلق کسی نے ابتدائی معلومات جاننی ہوں تو یہ کتاب پڑھنی چاہیئے۔
اس کے علاوہ صدر ایوب، جنرل یحییٰ خان، جنرل اسحاق خان، جنرل صاحبزادہ یعقوب خان، جنرل ٹکا خان اور جنرل نیازی جیسی تاریخ ساز شخصیات سے متعلق مصنف کے ذاتی تاثرات بھی خاصے کی چیز ہیں۔ اگرچہ ان تاثرات کو شخصیت نگاری نہیں کہہ سکتے کہ ہر ایک صاحب سے متعلق ایک ایک یا دو واقعات ہی تحریر کیے گئے ہیں مگر عقلمند را اشارہ کافی است! تو میرے خیال میں فوج کی ان تاریخ ساز مگر متنازعہ شخصیات سے متعلق کافی اشارے اس کتاب میں موجود ہیں۔
مصنف کی عمر اور عمر بھر کے تجربات کو دیکھتے ہوئے، نیز اردو میں رائج سوانح حیات کی ضخامت کے اعتبار سے یہ کتاب کافی مختصر ہے اور واقعات کی ترتیب میں بھی جگہ جگہ خلا محسوس ہوتا ہے جس کا ذکر خود دیباچے میں کیا گیا ہے مگر سوانح حیات کے شوقین اور فوج کے متعلق متجسس قارئین کو یہ کتاب مایوس نہیں کرے گی۔
ممکن تھا کہ سوانح عمری کے طور پر شاید اور بھی بہت کچھ لکھا جاسکتا، مگر بحیثیت فوجی اس سے زیادہ دیانت داری سے اپنے افسران اور اپنے ادارے کے متعلق لکھا جانا شاید ممکن نہ تھا۔
February 7, 2024
It's a simple account of a military officer
January 10, 2021
اس آپ بیتی کی خاص بات یہ ہے کہ یہ ایک فوجی کی آپ بیتی ہے۔ اور فوجی بھی وہ جو ادب کا شناآور اور ماہر ہے۔ پھر گھر کے بھید گھر کا بھیدی ہی بہتر بتا سکتا ہے اس لیے فوج کے معاملات پر جس طرح اس جری مصنف نے روشنی ڈالی ہے میرے علم کے مطابق کتابی شکل میں کسی نے نہیں ڈالی۔
Displaying 1 - 5 of 5 reviews