Dear Chaudhry Sahib,
Assalam o alaikum wa rematullah
Thank-you for inviting me to contribute to the Souvenir. Having worked with you as the student Editor of Al-Minar English section in 1967-68, I have no doubt that it will be a worthy presentation.
I migrated to T I College Rabwah in first year in 1967 from Government College Sargodha. Similarly, my younger brother Dr. Tayyib Arif also migrated to T I college five years later. I can declare with the fullest emphasis at my command that T I College Rabwah played a vital role in moulding our educational career- nay, our lives in such a way that we were able to achieve successes and win accolades in our later life. We both won College Colour and Tayyib also won role of honour for standing first in the college in Fsc (pre-medical). We both were cabinet members of the students union also.
The greatest impact that my stay in T I College had on me was that it strengthened my personality and self-belief. I owe a lot to my teachers, my fellow students, my friends and to the every environment of T I College Rabwah. I would be failing if I did not mention Baba Shaadi, Shamoon, Laeeq Sahib (dispenser)and our hostel staff who were caring and ever ready to make our lives as comfortable as possible. Now that I have embarked upon this journey down the memory lane, I remember a lot of my old friends and the fun we had together. I cannot join Longfellow in saying:
“Let the dead past bury its dead”.
Rather, for each one of those who have left us I say, in the words of Shelley :
“He lives, he wakes ’tis death is dead; not he, mourn not for Adonais”.
In fact, I sing along with Keats:
“A thing of beauty is a joy forever:
Its loveliness increases; it will never
Pass into nothingness”
T I College, from its inception and inauguration to the climax and height of its achievement, is a joy forever!
Allah Hafiz,
Tahir Arif.
In an earlier mail he sent from Canada some years back he wrote: Thank you for your email.I was just so busy that could not reply earlier.
I hope you will forgive.
Infact I am doing a course at the National Defence college and I was
selected to make a presentation to the President.
I shall inshaallah write to you soon .
My sincere regards to you and all friends .
Allah Hafiz
Tahir Arif
