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J O U R N E Y T O
P A K I S T A N
A H S A N K H A N
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This book is dedicated to my grandmother, Rabia Habib.
Also dedicated to N.A.K.
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About the Author
Ahsan Khan is currently a Lab Instructor at FAST-
National University, Islamabad, Pakistan, where
he teaches Microcontrollers and Embedded
Systems. He holds an electrical engineering degree
from the University of Toronto. He enjoys reading
about history, the lives of historical figures, and
analyzing events which shape the regionalgeopolitics. In his free time, reading poetry, hiking
in nature, and wildlife photography are Mr. Khans
pastimes. In the years ahead, Mr. Khan looks
forward to reading books on the international
monetary system, and writing often on issues he
feels deeply about.
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Disclaimer
THIS IS A TRUE STORY. All names, characters,
places and events in this novel are real, and have
been narrated exactly as they occurred.
.
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About the Main Character
Zainab Bibi (b. 1925 - present) was born in the city
of Sangrur, Punjab, British India. This novel
narrates the story of her life, in third person, from
early childhood to marriage, and to the events
which led to the migration to Pakistan.
.
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Table of Contents
1 Birth and Early Childhood. Page 1
2 Treatment of Zainabs Leg Page 4
3 Posting to Ajmer Sharif Page 6
4 The Secret of the Lotion Page 12
5 The Chronicle of Sajda Bibi.. Page 15
6 Aunt From Aligarh Pays a Visit.. Page 22
7 Married Life. Page 26
8 A Separate State for Muslims. Page 29
9 The Division of Punjab. Page 33
10 Attack on Ramgarh Sardaran.. Page 36
11 The Fire in the Barn Page 39
12 The State of Maler Kotla Page 42
13 Passing Through Jogi Majra. Page 47
14 Mian Ji Escapes. Page 53
15 Meanwhile in Sangrur. Page 55
16 Destination Lahore Page 57
17 A New Beginning. Page 60
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JOURNEY TO PAKISTAN
MEMOIRS OF ZAINAB BIBI
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Journey to Pakistan
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1.Birth and Early Childhood
Zainab Bibi was born in 1925 in the city of Sangrur. Sangrur is
a city in the Indian state of Punjab, India. It is the headquarters
of Sangrur District. It is located at the intersection of the roadsconnecting Jalandhar with Rewari and Chandigarh with
Bathinda, at a distance of 77 km from Ludhiana and 58 km
from Patiala. Before the partition of the subcontinent in 1947, it
was a part of the state of Patiala, in the province of East Punjab.
Sangrur was a city which had an equal amount population of
Muslims and Hindus, who were living together with each other
peacefully under the British rule. The population of Sikhs in the
city was very little. It was a city which comprised mostly of
working people and had few rich merchants or traders.
Sangrur
East
Punjab
West
Punjab
Figure 1: Map of Sangrur
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Journey to Pakistan
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Maula Baksh
(married to
Fatima)
Fazl Ilahi
(married to
Ramzan Bibi)
Sajida Bibi Zainab BibiRashid
AhmadHabib Ahmad
Tufail
Muhammad
Zainabs grandfather and grandmother were originally from a
small village called Kot Muhammad Khan, in Amritsar. The
names of Zainabs grandfather and grandmother were Maula
Baksh and Fatima respectively. When Zainabs father was in his
teenage years, the family moved to Sangrur. The name ofZainabs father was Fazl Ilahi, and her mothers name was
Ramzan Bibi. Zainab had one elder sister named Sajida Bibi (8
years elder) and two younger brothers named Rashid Ahmad (8
years younger) and Habib Ahmad (13 years younger).
Zainab was born and grew up in Sangrur. Her father and his
brother, Tufail Muhammad, Zainabs uncle (chacha), had theirown houses in Sangrur and lived next to each other.
Figure 2: Family Tree of Maula Baksh
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Journey to Pakistan
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When Zainab was one years old she was struck with a specific
type of fever. In those days, the common term used for this fever
was morka bukhar.The fever remained for about two months.
After plenty of medications and herbal treatments, the fever
eventually subsided.
Soon Zainab began to crawl. However, Ramzan Bibi noticed one
day that one of Zainabs legs would lag behind the other when
she was crawling. Ramzan Bibi immediately called Fazl Ilahi
and the rest of the family and told them her observation. They
too agreed that the left leg was not operating normally. Fazl Ilahi
was worried and he contacted a local doctor (hakeem) andshowed her the condition of the baby girl.
The hakeemsuggested, This is probably the result of the fever
which struck your child when she was one years old. Your
daughter is an infant now. I advise you to take her to some well
reputed hospital and get her checked with a specialist doctor. If
this predicament is solved early, she can be treated in time.
Otherwise, the leg may be affected for the rest of her life.
Fazl Ilahi was very concerned with what the hakeemsaid. Tufail
Muhammad had a friend in Delhi who knew a respectable
doctor in a civil hospital. The family decided that they should
take Zainab to Delhi and get her checked up with the doctor.
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Journey to Pakistan
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2.Treatment of Zainabs Leg
Fazl Ilahi and Ramzan Bibi, along with Zainab, left from
Sangrur to Patiala, from where they would proceed to Delhi.
Patiala was a big city and was the centre of transportation inthe region. After arriving by horse-carriage (tanga), the family
found seats in a train going from Patiala to Delhi.
After arriving in Delhi, they located the hospital and proceeded
to meet Dr. William Brown. On meeting Dr. William, they gave
him the reference of Tufail Muhammads friend. Dr. William first
Figure 3: Map of route from Sangrur to Delhi
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Journey to Pakistan
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inquired about the details of Zainabs illness and then inspected
her leg.
Dr. William gave his analysis, Zainabs leg seems to be
suffering from reduced blood flow which is impairing the growthof the leg. We must give her leg treatment with electricity. I will
recommend a two-week treatment. After that her leg will begin
growing normally.
Fazl Ilahi asked Dr. William for some time so that the family can
consult and make a decision. Dr. William agreed. Fazl Ilahi sent
a letter to Sangrur asking the family for their advice. After a
couple of weeks, the reply came back in which Maula Baksh
stated that Fazl Ilahi should go ahead with the treatment.
Maula Baksh also sent some money for the treatment. Hence,
Dr. William started on a two-week electricity treatment on
Zainabs leg. After two weeks, the treatment was over.
Dr. William assured Fazl Ilahi, I am pleased to inform you that
the treatment of your daughter has been successful and the legis now fine. As Zainab will grow older, the weaker leg will
recover and there shall be no problems of lack of growth. When
Zainab will reach 6-8 years of age, the leg will be totally healed
and the lagging will not be visible.
Fazl Ilahi was very grateful of Dr. Williams and thanked him
wholeheartedly. Glad and relieved, the parents along with
Zainab made their journey back to Sangrur.