Independence Is Priceless; Lala Nazar Hussain Recounts Ordeal Of 1947's Migration

MULTAN, (UrduPoint / Pakistan Point News - 12th Aug, 2024) ‘Independence is priceless’, a universal truth that would attract a nod from anybody but the simple phrase wears body and soul once uttered by someone who endured the painful ordeals in the struggle for the ultimate milestone people of Pakistan achieved back in 1947.

Pakistan movement worker Lala Nazar Hussain is one of those who know how important it was to cherish and appreciate what he and millions of others gained after numerous sacrifices.

Pakistan is passing through its eighth decade of independence it embraced on 14th of August in 1947 and those who actually remained a part of the struggle be it the pre-partition political movement or the migration they had scripted with their blood, very few of them are left.

Lala was a teen (14) when he joined the three-mile long caravan along with his father on way to Pakistan from Tahsil Fazil Ka, district FerozPur, India.

"Caravan was organized after people from Ferozpur district and peripheries assembled and their accommodation arrangements were made at the Kothi of Nawab Iftikhar Hussain, Lala Nazar told APP.

We stayed there for eight days before we embarked on the on-foot travel to Pakistan, he added.

“When caravan was ready to embark on a long journey, it was almost three miles long in length with four soldiers from Baloch Regiment guarding it, one each on the front, back, right and the left side,” Lala Nazar said.

“We covered the whole distance (nearly 25km) walking for two days and two nights. It was rainy season, there was water accumulated in ditches and fields filled with water and our feet would get injured by the thorns of Gum Arabic Tree (keekar),” recalls Lala.

“The caravan also faced attacks twice during the march to independence but brave four soldiers of Baloch Regiment repulsed the attack, killed them.

” “They guarded us well.”

“We survived hunger during rainy days and extreme cold nights but there was wood we collected and fired them to beat the cold,” said Lala.

“It was 10 pm when we crossed Head Ganda Singh Wala and we heaved a sigh of relief in the darkness of that night, however, by that time we were far behind the caravan,” recalls the white bearded old man now in his 90s.

“We were in Pakistan,” said Lala Nazar Hussain and then he took a few second struggling to hold back his tears before he moved on with the story.

Lala never got emotional throughout narrating the story, not even when describing the pain and sufferings they endured but had teary eyes only when telling the part of the story when they had entered Pakistan.

“My father then suggested we should stay there and we did.” “However, by 11 pm, a soldier who was guarding the back of the caravan returned for us and said, Baba Jee you are still here, the caravan has reached Kasur.”

He, however, added: ”No need to worry about, you are now in Pakistan.”

He said that next morning they resumed journey to Kasur and reached there. There they were allotted a shop which they cleaned and adjusted as per their needs, Lala said but added that later someone occupied it.

“Since we also had relatives in Multan, we moved to the city and started labour to earn livelihood,” said the old man, adding, later we started our own family business of gold jewellery.

"For us, Pakistan was a priceless gift, that we were able to get after countless sacrifices and younger generation should know the liberty they enjoy today was the result of the sacrifices of their forefathers."