Sinf-e-Aahan

The story begins as we see the main characters enter the stage. Aarzoo Daniel (Syra Yousuf) is a Catholic girl from Youhana Bagh neighbourhood of Lahore who lives with her parents, two sisters & brother in a relatively hostile area where girls are jeered upon and ridiculed. They live on rent in a house owned by Naurez’s (Asad Siddiqui) family. Naurez & Aarzoo like each other. Second, Mahjabeen Mastaan (Kubra Khan) – an Overseas Pakistani businessman’s aristocratic minded daughter who has nothing but fashion on her mind, but idolizes the great women of Pakistan who have made their mark in the country’s history – especially Lt. Gen. Nigar Johar. She has a very strained relationship with her parents and spends most of her time out with friends. She is very close to one of her cousins Kumail (Ali Rehman Khan) and the latter sees her as a possible life partner. Third, Pariwesh Jamal (Ramsha Khan), the daughter of a labouring farmer under the yoke of the local landlord who has kept her father’s land on mortgage against a loan with which Jamal has educated his daughter to Masters Level. Fourth, Rabia Safeer (Sajal Aly), an upper middle class pampered girl who aspires to do something else with her life apart from baking & entertaining guests, some of whom come for her hand in marriage, Fifth, Shaista Khanzada (Yumna Zaidi) a Patthan from Waziristan who is an artist. She joins the army to run away from home (especially from the grasp of her Hitler-like grandmother), but her fiancé cousin, Kaamil (Junaid Jamshed) who has a soft corner for her, is always protective of her. Sixth, Syeda Sidra Batool (Dananeer Mobeen), the comic member of the group who seemingly joins the Army to ‘Have a Good Time.’ The first 5 episodes open the canvas to show how each of these girls break the chains of normal ‘girl life’ and go through the rigours of the Pakistan Armed Forces selection process and meet first time at their nearest ISSB Testing Centre. At their selection, each is overjoyed to run away from home. At the ISSB selection centre, as these girls spend close to 5 days under close evaluation for their physical, mental and psychological skills, each of them disclose their strengths and weaknesses in the personality interview. At the end of the 5 days at the ISSB selection centre, our six main characters receive their appointment letters and, due to them all being post grads in their respective field of study, they are inducted directly at the rank of Captain.

As each of these 6 girls arrive at PMA, they say goodbye to their parents and family members. Jamal comes to drop Pariwesh but is afraid of his daughter’s future, as his landlord’s son Subub is also at PMA and (to Jamal’s thinking) Subub may be a hindrance to Pariwesh’s career. To settle this, the Commandant consoles Jamal and meets the landlord to congratulate him on giving permission for Pariwesh to join Pakistan Army. This increases the respect the landlord has in his heart for Jamal & Pariwesh.

The beginning of Episode 6 takes us to Kandy, Sri Lanka, where we are introduced to our 7th main character - a Sri Lankan Lady Cadet, Nathmy Perrera (Yehali Tashiya Kalidasa) who is selected for attachment to Pakistan Military Academy (PMA), an institution which is in no way alien to her, to her father & to the Republic of Sri Lanka from where cadets have been inducted for several years into PMA. We are told that Nathmy's father trained at PMA. We see Nathmy prepare for her departure to PMA, as do all the other six girls. We also get to know that Nathmy’s father had a dear friend from his days at PMA (Col. Mujahid Saleem) and who served with him during the Sri Lankan Army’s joint coalition with Pak Army against the LTTE during 2008-2009 Terrorist Attacks, in which Nathmy’s father was martyred.

Our attention turns to a new cast member who joins to head the battalion command of the ladies wing at PMA - SSG Commando, Major Usama, (Sheheryar Munawar) and his wife, Kiran (Sonia Mishal) & their daughter. As Nathmy arrives at PMA, so too do the other girls. These girls are heartily welcomed at the inaugural gala dinner where Nathmy meets a young Gentleman Cadet (GC) Shehryar, who relates his family link to the Sri Lankan culture and Sri Lankan Army via his father (later to see that he is the son of the same Col. Mujahid Saleem who was Nathmy’s father’s comrade in the Pak - Lankan Military coalition against the LTTE.) While all other lady Cadets marvel at the facilities, Mahjabeen is not amused. She has seen better. The mere thought of being tied down by rules immediately ignites an inner hostility against PMA's system, and she vows to run away the moment any pressure of compliance is placed upon her. Suddenly Mahjabeen sees Rabia’s brother who was once her love interest, but chooses to ignore him. When the lady Cadets (LCs) enter the company lines, their luggage is checked and all useless stuff is instructed to be sent back home. This meant that all flashy lady-like makeup / dresses / paraphernalia brought by Mahjabeen and spiritual items like amulets, rosaries, and talismans and the like brought by others were all impermissible.

The girls’ first company 'fall-in' left a lot to be desired and it was clear that this LCs batch would require the equivalent of a mountain to be climbed. For issues ranging from attitude, agility, stamina, mental tuning, motivation & overall military bearing, they had a long road ahead of them. It was clear that the next six months for them would be nothing short of ‘hell on earth’. The LC’s ‘iron tough’ platoon commander Maj. Samia (real Maj. Samia Rahman) is seen in her private life as a tender mother of an ailing son, thus revealing the other side of her personality. The girls console each other as they are all home-sick and even wipe each other’s tears. As Maj. Usama takes command of the LCs unit, he remembers his own days at PMA with his best friend Capt. Taimur.

At the early morning PT drill & 'fall-in', the girls are introduced to a literal meaning & paraphrase of each couplet in the Pakistan National Anthem to make their sense of commitment to their country even stronger. We are made to witness the beginning of the many rigours that these ‘rose petal- like’ flimsy girls would require in order to turn them into ‘Women of Steel’. At the end of each tough day they take turns in massaging one other’s bruises & blisters. We are shown some of the mischief that the girls get up to – being girls. Major Usama watches the girls going through their drills and as they grunt, whimper & moan, his mind takes him back to his own days along with Taimur. We see Usama’s wife’s own flashbacks of her first marriage with Usama’s best friend Taimur. Pariwesh’s father Jamal gets into trouble as his landlord finds out that without his permission, Jamal sent his daughter to enrol in the Pakistan Army, but then the landlord, is internally glad at Jamal’s desire for progress. At the end of the first week each LC writes a letter home which their department will dispatch.

As each of the LCs write to their parents and family members, we – the viewers get a good insight to how good or otherwise their communication is with their families. For example, Mahjabeen who perhaps was writing to her parents for the first time, made not only her parents cry but also the viewers about how life - as she knew it - has turned on its head as she learned for the first time perhaps – what it means to be a complete Pakistani with purpose in life. By now the rest of the platoon have been able to understand that there is a strong sense of bad blood between Rabia & Mahjabeen, and they all in their own way try to ease the tension between the two. Meanwhile, Kiran’s friend discusses with her husband possible reasons for the change in Kiran’s manner after the death of her first husband Taimur. Shaista Khanzada, the second LC, writes to her grandma about her experiences and how she has become the disciplined young woman her grandma and parents wanted her to be. As the girls platoon change roommates, Nathmy moves in with Rabia who figures out that Nathmy can not only understand Urdu but can speak Urdu to considerable proficiency (because Nathmy’s father served with the Pakistan Army and in turn taught her and her mother). The other LCs now are at ease in communicating with Nathmy in Urdu. As Rabia writes home to her brother, she shares the fact that no matter how strong she ever becomes after being trained by PMA, she will always remain his baby sister who is afraid of mice, and gets upset about the fact that the ladies may only get to serve Pak Army in support services – not in the front line combat zones or on the battlefield.

As Usama watches the LCs during their drill again, and he thinks back to all the goof-ups he and Taimur used to be involved in, and that he too found the training at PMA unbearable at times. When we see Pariwesh writing home, she mentions more of her aspirations once she becomes a full-fledged soldier, the fact that she will send her salary home to pay off the mortgage on her father’s land instead of using it. She tells her father that all the lessons of rifle shooting & marksmanship which she learnt are now coming in handy. As the LCs are at the shooting range, Nathmy holding her rifle thinks back to when her father returned from PMA and taught her how to fire a pistol. Her present ability to wield a weapon and use it made her think back to when her father lay mortally wounded, shouting for her to hand over the pistol – but she stool there frozen, and watched him being shot to death as he lay on the ground.

Usama notices Kiran melancholy and in grief, but Kiran refuses to share the pain of Taimur’s death and to discuss anything with him. In sympathy, all Usama can do is wait till she is ready to open up to him. Yet Kiran takes pride in watching Usama become the father to her daughter that she always wanted Taimur to be. The LCs get ready for a speech competition and Pariwesh is petrified, but Mahjabeen helps her to prepare. Arzoo writes home to tell her family that now she is old enough to uphold the household financial responsibilities. She has now found her life’s objective, which is not to get married to her landlord’s son, Naurez.

The LCs go for their first assessment – the marching & saluting test. All LCs pass the test except Mahjabeen. All successful LCs are permitted to go home for the mid-term break after the assessment Rabia asks the platoon commander for permission to take LC Nathmy home with her to Islamabad during the mid-term break. As Nathmy is an overseas cadet, prior approval is required from the Sri Lankan embassy, after which Nathmy is allowed to exit the grounds of PMA. Gladly, the Sri Lankan Embassy agree to allow Nathmy to leave the PMA grounds during vacations. Mahjabeen is heartbroken at her failure to perform and is determined to pass in the next attempt. As Pariwesh goes home, she and Jamal see the landlord awaiting his son, only to find out that GC Subub has failed his marching & saluting test. Pariwesh request the landlord to return her father’s land if she pays the mortgage from her salary. The landlord says nothing but is surprised at Pariwesh’s sense of dignity & integrity, which he really admires. Shaista’s is picked up by her cousin and fiancé Kaamil to whom she requests to release her from her engagement commitment in return for the love he has for her, so that she can concentrate wholeheartedly on her Army career.

Aarzoo beats up a bunch of hooligans in her neighbourhood showing that she doesn’t tolerate crap from anyone. Nathmy is warmly welcomed at Rabia’s house and she has a good time. Aarzoo shows Naurez that she has better commitments with life than a marriage with him and tries to break off all links. As Usama, Kiran & their daughter go for a walk, she thinks about Taimur and how she wanted to be the wife of a commando to live in the most posh of Army neighbourhoods. Little did she know that her wish would one day come true after getting married to Major Usama (who is an SSG Commando). Rabia & Nathmy go shopping and she bumps into her ex fiancé, Captain Nasar (Asim Azhar), who Nathmy beats up thinking he is a street mugger. Mahjabeen passes her marching & saluting test and goes home. When her car breaks down she shows her folks she can fix a car too. Naurez comes to Aarzoo’s house to attempt a patch up but she breaks up any remaining links by asking him to leave. Mahjabeen’s friend Kumail also notes the change in her and is happy. Taimur’s mother comes to visit Usama & Kiran and she treats Usama as if he was her own son. Kiran shares her grief with her ex-mother-in-law and the old woman in her wisdom tells her that she is the widow of one national hero and the wife of another. She should shed no tears or else no soldier will ever muster the courage to lay down his life for his country. Nathmy explores the Northern Areas of Pakistan towards Gilgit. As it is time for the LCs to go back to PMA, they are all ready to say goodbye. While coming to say ‘goodbye’ to Mahjabeen, Captain Nasar confronts Mahjabeen for lying to him about Rabia that she is a ‘Bi-polar disordered patient’ thereby breaking up their engagement.

Taimur’s mother at dinner with Usama, Kiran & their daughter Mahnoor sees how the little girl stresses on the importance of having salad more than the meal itself and it reminds her that Taimur was exactly the same – so his daughter is a ‘chip off the old block’. Every time anyone mentions Taimur (even if it is his mother), Kiran breaks out into tears and thus she tells Usama not to mention Taimur in front of her to his mother, to which Usama says that no one can stop a grieving mother from talking about her martyred son. Roommates change again at PMA and this time Mahjabeen is paired up with Rabia. Now every time Rabia & Mahjabeen face each other, flashbacks emerge referring to the reason behind their fall out as friends. We are told that since a very long time Rabia had in her mind Mahjabeen (who was her best friend since childhood) as a perfect life partner for her elder brother - SSG Commando Capt. Daniyal (Usman Mukhtar), and it appeared very evidently that Daniyal & Mahjabeen were headed exactly towards this. However, once as Rabiya went to Mahjabeen’s house, she overheard Mahjabeen talking to her cousin Kumail about how much he loves her. That changed Rabia’s decision and she decided that if someone else likes Mahjabeen, then maybe matchmaking her for Daniyal would be a bad idea, so without telling Mahjabeen, Rabia’s family found another suitable match for Daniyal. Mahjabeen found out when she saw the engagement invitation cards. Of course, Mahjabeen felt betrayed. So Mahjabeen in revenge made up a phoney story that Rabia was under medical treatment for ‘Bi-polar Disorder’ and she is not suitable for her cousin Capt. Nasar who was already Rabia’s fiancé. Consequently Nasar broke up the engagement.

Four LCs are selected for the upcoming adventure course which includes mountaineering and paragliding. These are Rabia, Sidra, Aarzoo & Nathmy. Rabia, Sidra & Aarzoo go to the platoon commander and try to bail out of the course by giving the names of three replacement LCs. The platoon commander shuns their request and sends them off to prepare for the exercise. Sidra thinks it to be her last few hours alive, bids farewell to her comrades. After the adventure course, Naurez calls Aarzoo and threatens her that if she doesn’t resign from PMA and come back to the way things were before, then he will destroy her credibility by telling PMA that she has illicit relations with neighbourhood boys and would send photos of himself & Aarzoo to support a fake claim. This worries Aarzoo but she can’t talk about this to anyone. On the next platoon exercise, Mahjabeen violates certain rules & codes of conduct and loses a part of her rifle. She is on the verge of being dismissed from PMA (as this is her 3rd and final warning) just when Rabia finds the missing piece of Mahjabeen’s rifle, consequently saving her career. Mahjabeen vows to repay this kindness with honour, but Rabia couldn’t care less after what Mahjabeen has done by splitting up her & Nasar. After the field exercise, the disturbed Aarzoo confides in her platoon commander and turns in her resignation from PMA rather than trash the credibility of PMA with her plight. But Major Samia refuses Aarzoo’s resignation and after discussing this issue with Major Usama, they decide to call Naurez to PMA and sort it out face to face. Naurez thinks that Aarzoo has accepted his terms and comes to meet Aarzoo at PMA. There Major Usama catches Naurez by the scruff of the neck and warns him against harassing Aarzoo & her family or else be ready to face a prison sentence for attempted assault & mental torture. He takes Naurez’s cell phone full of his & Aarzoo’s personal photos and throws him out through the gates of PMA. Maj. Usama & Maj. Samia assure Aarzoo that they are willing to go to all lengths to assist her, as she is a valuable asset to the PMA.

Kiran watches a distraught Usama coming back from PMA and asks him what happened to which he doesn’t reply. Usama thinks it is time for him to have a heart-to-heart talk with Kiran about Taimur whether she likes it or not. He relates the entire story of the last military campaign in which he & Taimur were action on the battlefront, and how having been shot in the chest by terrorists, he breathed his last in Usama’s arms, requesting him to take care of his family as a gesture of his love & friendship for him. After hearing this, Kiran is convinced of Usama’s commitment to her and she lays her arms around him.

Finally come the days of the Annual PMA rifle shooting contest. After each failing shooter is dismissed, the third day begins with only 2 champions – Subub (Pariwesh’s Village landlord’s son) and Pariwesh herself. After Pariwesh wins the contest, Subub tells his father (the village landlord) that Jamal’s daughter Pariwesh is in every way superior and better at rifle shooting than himself and that she & her family deserve honour & respect. When the LCs return home after the rifle shooting contest, the village landlord visits Jamal’s house to meet Pariwesh. The landlord praises Pariwesh & returns the ownership deed of Jamal’s land back to Pariwesh as a symbol of the respect & honour she has gained in his eyes. He also rewards her with an assault rifle as a gift.

After coming back home, Rabia talks to her brother about what could have been (the match between Daniyal & Mahjabeen and also the one between Nasar & herself) and says that life has gone too far forward and it is not possible to turn back the clock. On the other side, Shaista seeing the good in her cousin Kaamil, reaffirms their engagement and the two smile at each other.

The LCs now embark on their final big exercise training mission called ‘Exercise Annihilation’ in which they set up camp in the forest and use their navigation, lifesaving and trekking skills all in one. They take turns in cooking, guard duty, security & vigilance and of course shooting and destroying stationery and moving targets. As they are deeply involved in each exercise, all what they learned at PMA comes into play including camouflage, stealth and espionage skills. During one of their navigation exercises Nathmy seemingly goes missing and, unknown to her platoon, she falls down a steep hill and injures herself. While lying there, helpless and unable to move, she remembers how her father must have felt during the last moments of his life. Unable to bear the pain of her injury she passes out. Meanwhile the entire platoon go out in search of Nathmy, along with the Pakistan Army searchlight helicopter. Daring to go down that steep grassy hill, Aarzoo finds an unconscious Nathmy while the rest of the platoon including Maj. Samia & Maj. Usama follow and who call for the air ambulance to carry Nathmy by stretcher on to the air ambulance and straight to Abbottabad CMH. The extent of Nathmy’s back injury require her to take rest for a few days. During this time, as a surprise from Maj. Usama & Maj. Samia, she is visited in hospital by the one person she has been wanting to meet for more than ten years – her father’s wartime comrade, Col. Mujahid Saleem. Her delight to meet him was indescribable and they talked as though they were father & daughter. However, the battle scars of the LTTE Terrorist Attack were clearly seen on Col. Mujahid as he lost both his lower limbs and was permanently on a wheelchair. After a few days, a recovered Nathmy returns to PMA among her platoon-mates who are delighted to have her back. Back at camp outside on the PMA grounds, the LC platoon gather around a campfire at night and turn by turn relate their experiences of their time at PMA as their training is almost complete.

A few days later, the Award Ceremony, Nathmy (though Sri Lankan) sang an Urdu song on stage with Aarzoo. The LC platoon won an award in almost all the award categories and each one of our main seven LCs (except for Syeda Sidra Batool) won an accolade in one particular area of accomplishment. The LCs now imagined going back into their world as a more polished individual with a new found determination. At the mess table, they are visited by the PMA Commandant and in a sudden fear of having to repeat a scene from ISPR’s 1990’s serial Sunehray Din, Sidra fears having to drink a glass full of water & curry cocktail.

(More to come soon)

|1 |27 November 2021 |