O Lovely: MYSTERY

OK let me start from the beginning.

It was summers and where I was, the weather was hot. The mercury was nearing 50^o C at Dera Murad Jamali. I was though stationed at Quetta but, I was tasked to provide security protection to the Parliamentary elections at Dera Murad Jamali (DMJ), which is around 250 kms South East of Quetta. It is about 60 kms from Jacobabad, the city famous for its highest temperatures during the summers in the World.

JACOBABAD

My job was to ensure order during the Balloting at DMJ surroundings and to see that no hanky panky is done by anybody.

DERA MURAD JAMALI

I was lodging at the Deputy Commissioner’s Rest House which was beautifully located on the Bank of Pat feeder Canal. I made it as my headquarters and was operating from there.

With the Grace of Allah, the election activity completed peacefully with no untoward incidence.

On completion of all the formalities, I was told to move back to Quetta the next afternoon.

I started off for Quetta after lunch, at around 2.p.m. If the going goes well then the travelling time from DMJ to Quetta was about 5 hours . DMJ is about 400 feet above sea level whereas Quetta is around 5700 feet. However, between Quetta and DMJ, there is a place namely Kolpur, which is about 7000 feet.

KOLPUR

The route to Quetta from DMJ is through Bolan Pass, which starts from Sibbi, the famous historical city, and ends at a little ahead of Kolpur. Sibbi is 424 feet above sea level. So it can be judged quite clearly that it is a continuous climb of 6600 feet. The distance between Sibbi to Kolpur is about 70 km. One can always imagine the gradient which one has to traverse in this short distance.

SIBBI

The road of Bolan Pass moves all along Bolan River, which flows from North to South from Quetta to Sibbi. It is a very scenic view all along the road. The entire route is through the beautiful mountains and mostly climbs in ‘S’ shape to the top of the mountain peaks.

BOLAN PASS ALONG BOLAN RIVER

The Security situation in those days was not good. Travelling between Sibbi to Quetta was quite dangerous due to the vagabonds operating in the area, especially between sunset and sunrise. They used to rob people of their belongings, even their cars, during broad day light and disappear deep into the mountains. The miscreants were so daring that they would not even hesitate to attack military convoys during the night what to talk of civilian vehicles. Therefore it was essential for me to clear the area during the day light hours.

I got my vehicles tank full from a Gas station at the out skirts of DMJ. Generally the quality of fuel in these areas is very low and after recommendations from the local people, I decided to fill the fuel tank from this particular Gas Station. It was almost 2.30 p.m when we started on the Highway towards Sibbi. We had hardly gone 50 / 60 kms that the vehicle started giving trouble. It stopped working. On checking it was revealed that due to low quality of fuel, the fuel filter is choked. The driver, I and two armed guards were four persons in the vehicle. The driver removed the fuel filter and cleaned it as possible, having no spare filter with us. The vehicle started but again stopped after travelling hardly 10 odd kms. Again the same process was repeated. On this route, normally the vehicle workshops are not available. The nearest, as I learnt, was about 90 kms away at Nuttaal which was 20/30 kms. I started getting worried because of two reasons. One; it was almost 4.30 p.m and the sunset in the area was at around 6.50 p.m. But it starts getting dark by 6 p.m. Secondly; I received a call on my wireless that I had to reach my base at Quetta by all means that night as I had to leave for another important job early next morning. So I had only 2 hours to cross the Bolan Pass during the Sun light.

With quite difficulty we were able to reach Nuttaal. There a mechanic at a workshop examined the vehicle and concluded that it is due to dirty fuel that the fuel filter is being choked and the vehicle is having starting trouble. He suggested that at the first opportunity, the fuel should be drained out and that a new fuel filter be installed. But this was the diagnosis only, as he did not had replacement fuel filter nor there was any Auto spare Shop available neither there was a gas station, from where the petrol was to be replaced. He however, tried his best to clean the fuel filter.

We again started at 5 p.m towards Sibbi, with a hope that we may get a replacement fuel and filter from there. But it was an uphill task as it was another 60 kms distance to Sibbi. However, we moved with a hope that 25 kms ahead was another town ‘Bellpat’ and we may find a solution there. But moving, stopping, cleaning the fuel filter, we were able to reach Bellpat at around 6 p.m. Even there the matter could not be resolved, so we continued. By around 9 p.m we managed to reach Sibbi. Here we were able to find an auto spare shop but it was closed. After tracing the owner’s house and he opened the shop on our request and gave us the new fuel filter. Now the issue of replacing the fuel; though there were three Gas Stations but none had fuel drainage facility. Thus, it was decided that we shall continue with the same fuel.

By about 10 p.m we were again travelling towards Quetta. We managed to cross Dhadhar safely. Dhadhar is the gate of Bolan Pass. From here the narrow road between the mountains of the pass starts. It is 22 kms from Sibbi and is famous for the produce of delicious red Tomatoes.

BOLAN PASS NEAR DHADHAR

We had hardly crossed Dhadhar that the vehicle started giving Trouble. Now the situation was grave as we were into the danger zone and stopping here means subjecting ourselves to the miscreants who are operational on the road during the night. The vehicle started stopping and then starting again with our efforts. The time gap between the stopping and restarting of the engine was getting shorter & shorter. At this hour of the night there was no traffic on the road and no help was in sight.

I realized that now only a miracle can save us and Quetta seemed a distant dream. At that moment I started praying to ALLAH for his help. As from nowhere, it came to my mind that I should recite few Quranic Verses, taught to me by one of my elders by saying that if I read this and pray then help from ALLAH will come. So, I started reciting those and also asked for help. It was 11 p.m by then.

Suddenly I realized that some force has lifted the vehicle off the road and it has started moving ahead very smoothly and swiftly. I looked towards the Speedo meter and saw that it was showing 40 km per hour whereas; when I looked outside I realized that the vehicle is moving very fast. There were no usual road jumps and jerks, as one experience during a normal road journey. It was beyond imaginations. We covered this distance of almost 100 kms in a jiffy. By a little short of mid night I found myself travelling inside the Quetta Cantonment. To my utter surprise the vehicle stopped a little short of my unit offices and then refused to start.

QUETTA

We got out of the vehicle and moved towards the office and arranged help. My vehicle was towed in and I was provided another vehicle to transport me to my house.

I forgot to share one thing. When the vehicle was brought in the unit garages, I noticed that the fuel gauge was showing the reading to be the same as it was near Dhadhar. This was also confirmed the next day by my Mechanical Transport Officer by asking me as to where did I find a Gas Station so late at night that I got the fuel tank topped up and why should I top up the fuel tank when I was already at Quetta as there was no need.

It is still a mystery for me as to who were the forces which brought my vehicle from Dhadhar to Quetta in such a short time. Of course it was by the help of ALLAH ALMIGHTY, plus no fuel was spent.

ALLAH is ALMIGHTY.