khAdim duRRani Quettawaal
Thirty seconds at Quetta is a book for anyone who is from Quetta or is interested in its history; most importantly it’s about the aftermath of the deadly earthquake of May 31st 1935 that razed Quetta and other earthquake stricken areas to the ground, killing between 30 and 60 thousand people and injuring thousands more. Never has this devastation been more vividly told than in this riveting, movingly fascinating book. It is also about a sub-chapter in the history of British colonial rule – a time when a large community of Indian migrants were living in Quetta! Furthermore, it highlights the historical setting of British military and civilian bureaucracy that was running the affairs of the region from its administrative seat in Quetta.
The book has been divided into five parts: Part One dealing with the ‘Death of a City’ contains three chapters, these are: 1- In Thirty Seconds; 2- On Manœuvres and 3- Slessor’s Wing. Under the rubric of Part Two comes ‘Night of a thousand miracles’; it has six chapters which in continuity with the Part One are: 4- Signallers; 5- West Yorkshires; 6- Gurkhas; 7- Police; 8- Railwaymen; 9- Sappers and Doctors while Four Days is the title of Part Three, again with six chapters and in continuity with previous chapters they are: 10- Karslake; 11- The Staff College; 12- The Living and the Dead; 13- The Second Day; 14- The Three Tigers and 15- The Sealed City. Part Four is the last one where under ‘Quetta Lives Again’ falls two chapters and these, in continuity with the previous ones, are: 16- The Great Decision and, 17- Resurrection.
Coming from Quetta myself I can say the material presented in the book, with a few exceptions, seems to have been well researched and in this regard Mr Jackson gives a detailed list of documents and the names of officials that he consulted before writing the book. Besides describing at length how the rescue operations were conducted, the author focuses on the individual cases of courage, dedication and heroism of doctors and nurses, of rescuing soldiers and survivors, and on the courage of victims’ families; the author also recounts in some detail how the agent to the Governor-General Sir Norman Cater (the head of the Government administration) and General Karslake had to deal with a very difficult task of organizing the rescue operations in the wee hours of the morning – on the Residency lawn (now Governor House). Another interesting character that emerges in the story is that of Harkbir Tharpa (see Chapter 6, The Gurkhas). Tharpa was skinny but a strong Rifleman from Gurkha Rifles; he was gifted with possessing a range of hearing beyond the normal and could hear cries so faint that they were inaudible to others. On several occasions, he helped save people who were trapped in the rubble/debris. Later on, he was awarded the Albert Medal for his services during the earthquake.
In order to make it worth reading the author has beautifully blended the core facts with the touch of fiction, humour and in places with sarcasm. Given that he has never been to that part of the world, I would say he has definitely managed to weave a remarkable story – a story that becomes surreal when it starts sinking in that those who helped build Quetta (even called it Quetta) were not native people but foreigners and that they are no longer living amongst us! Only this book can give you that feeling, provided you are from Quetta.
The danger however for presenting the cocktail of facts and fiction is that people who do not have an in-depth knowledge of the region, about its history, traditions and its people, will believe blindly certain sweeping statements that the author has repeatedly made, on purpose, to exaggerate the situation and make the book worth reading. Perhaps his stereotypical perceptions are based on what he was told by the British Army Officers who were stationed in Quetta at the time. For example, a few odd cases of robbery or theft doesn’t mean the whole communities of ethnic Pashtoons, Baloch (or Baluch) and Brahui (or Brohi) should be labelled as thieves or robbers as has been alleged by the author. This kind of uninformed generalisation is very misleading and the author, in my opinion, has not been fair to the people of the region. I am sure the locals, as they are called these days, will find those derogatory passages very offensive and insulting; in my opinion this is where this marvellous narrative gets spoilt and tainted. The following extracts from the book will suffice to show the mindset of the author:
Derogatory passages
On page 14, paragraph three, the author states:
“In the days of the last century, its inhabitants were chiefly of the Baluch and Brahui tribes. Unattractive and wild-looking, they were not quite as savage and truculent as the Pathans further north or the tribes of the neighbouring state of Afghanistan. They were smaller in build and more wiry, always armed and on the look-out for something to steal.”
(Khadim says: were they savage and truculent or were they simply not happy with the forces of occupation?)
Page 15, towards the end of previous paragraph from page 14:
“… Had it not been for the presence of the British soldiers, the tribesmen would have made a fat plucking, but with the military incidentally shielding the city while they guarded the frontier, life was comfortable…”
Page: 15; last paragraph: “… The landscape on the outskirts of the city was wild, stony, infertile – as inhospitable as the old inhabitants…”
Page: 79, 4th paragraph: “Quetta was the greatest garrison city in India, yet the officers never allowed themselves or their men to forget that it stood in hostile country, inhabited by men who would not hesitate to rob and kill if they relaxed their guard for a moment”.
In paragraph 5 (Page: 120) and last sentence of 1st paragraph (Page: 122) the author again repeats the fear of the British forces for the pillage and killings by tribesmen.
Page 169: 2nd paragraph “…The news of the earthquake had travelled fast and they were out for plunder” and the next sentence goes “We know, and they know, that Quetta is a rich city and if the tribesmen get the idea that the army is hors de combat, they will be on their way to steal our arms and loot in no time”.
From paragraph 3 of page 185 to the middle of page 187, once again, the Pathans are depicted as bad guys who, according to the book, were out there looking for jewellery items from dead bodies! This is indeed very insulting to the Pathans (the Pashtoons), who were and remain till this date, the most hospitable people of the region – no matter how and by whom they are being exploited under the present climate of geopolitics!
Perhaps the author was not mindful to the fact that at the time the British Imperial Forces were considered as the occupying forces in the region (that is the way they are now rightly perceived in Afghanistan and Iraq) and the attacks on them or any random acts of looting/robberies, if ever took place, could and should only have been explained in that context, and not by portraying the whole communities as bad people! Moreover, it is difficult to say whether Mr Jackson intended to use such a negative language against the tribesmen as part of his writing strategy to attract more readers by means of exaggeration or was he simply presenting the information that was communicated to him by the British Forces stationed in the region.
Furthermore, except for a few passing remarks about the native Pashtoon and Baloch tribes of Quetta region and their location in Quetta (e.g., Kassi & Shahwanis) it is very ironic to find almost nothing about them in this book or what role did they play in the rescue operations, if at all! On the contrary, wherever the indigenous people were mentioned, they were presented in a bad way. The absence of material about the natives therefore renders this narrative a biased one. Had the author done a little bit more of a research to find out more about the lives of the local ethnic tribes who were unlike Indian migrants not part and parcel of the British colonial caravan but who strongly felt they were under occupation, the book would have done justice to the natives of Quetta and the region, and, would have acclaimed equal appreciation by them. Interestingly in a recent BBC Radio 4 programme that aired[i] the comments of the British survivors of the 1935 Quetta earthquake, a caller (an old lady) – who was in Quetta at the time of earthquake – was singing the same mantra about ‘Pathans’ that the author Robert Jackson mentions in the book. This shows clearly the extent to which people can get influenced by false propaganda.
In the end, despite its shortcomings, I would highly recommend this book[ii] to Quetta lovers and say this book is worth reading; it presents the most remarkable understanding of Quetta of 1930s. For controversial and provocative statements regarding tribesmen the author can be forgiven for being ignorant. It would equally be unfair, on our part, if we do not acknowledge the contribution of the author in preserving part of Quetta’s history that our elders so proudly called as ‘little London’.
Finally, it’s surprising that I was not aware that any such book on Quetta Earthquake even existed; I came across it by accident last year when I was searching for some earthquake related material on the internet. I was lucky that I managed to get a used copy of it through Amazon.co.uk, though I have heard the same book has recently been reprinted by a Quetta based publisher.
The book has a map illustration (Plan of Rescue Operations) that was prepared in the hours following the earthquake and a few historical photos. Further details about the book are as following:
Author: Robert Jackson
Book Title: Thirty Seconds at Quetta
Date Published: 1960
Publisher: Evans Brothers Limited. London.
Format: Hardback
Number of Pages: 248
Price: You would be lucky if you could get one!
Notes:
[i] The programme was broadcast in 2007 I happened to listen to it in May 2008 when I was searching for some historical material to write an article about Quetta earthquake of 1935. Had I listened to it on the day (I don’t know whether it was live or a pre-recorded programme) I would have definitely phoned in and communicated my concern about the sweeping generalisation that the old lady was making about ‘Pathans’.
[ii] From reading the book and other literature about Quetta one gets the impression as if the local – the indigenous Pashtoon and Baloch tribes – did not play any role during the rescue operations that followed the earthquake. It seems as if we the locals did not contribute much to the development of our city. The British Raj not only designed the city to meet the needs of their troops but they also brought in the skilled labour from various parts of Indian sub-continent: masons, carpenters, craftsmen, iron smith, mechanics etc. Most of these men and women chose to stay in Quetta even after the partition. A significant number of the migrated Indians were non-Muslims, of Hindu, Sikh and Christian creed. Though majority of Hindus and Sikhs left Quetta after the partition but many Christian families remained behind. Important thing to note is that they were free to practice their respective religions under the British Raj and they continue to enjoy the same religious freedom even today when unfortunately the Pakistani society has become less tolerant towards not only non-Muslim religious minorities but also towards one another!
The flipside of the story is the book did not and does not benefit a large section of Quetta residents as a) it is in the English language; b) because of that not known to the general public, hence, c) inaccessible to the general public. A good translation of this book would be indispensable and a great service to the people of Quetta, even 49 years after its publication.
Dear Khadim Jan
Fortunately, I have the same book in hand and was unable to read it completely, however, one of the Pashto writer from Quetta, Mr. Dur Mohammad Kassi in his book titled ‘Kassian ouw Quetta – Kassi people & Quetta?? – some thing like that written in recent years . Mr. Dur Mohammad Kassi also discussed ‘30 seconds at Quetta’ accusing its autghor for being biased and for passing unfair judgment about the indigenous people of the region.
Your review about the book is a natural response that every son of the soil should show his or her reaction towards author’s unreasonable judgments. It is also interesting to me that when Robert Jackson was writing the book perhaps he was sitting in Quetta to compile his negative views about the Pathan (Pashtoon) and Baloch, while you the son of the soil sitting in the Heart of Mr. Robert Jackson country (England) and commenting on his book.
Yes I agree that Mr. Jackson may be forgiven for his biased judgments. His services should be acknowledged for preserving the history of Quetta and for bringing to the outside world the after effects of great Quetta earthquake. But the British and all those occupying forces/invaders should not be forgiven for their exploitative role they have played in the history, due to which our people of the region are still living in turmoil.
Historical and very intersting stuff! I had read this book about 20 years ago…I agree with Khadim the book will not disappoint you.
Khadim, I am impressed by your blog and photogallery. Keep it up.
Zaman Kakar
Very interesting and informative. I wonder if any accounts of 1935 earthquake have ever been compiled by the locals as well?
Where about in Quetta can we find the above book? Any information would help.
Toryalai
Quetta was a garrisoned city- the entirety of the city was what is now just a part of the city- i.e. Cantonement. Reading the Forward Policy and Its Results By Richard Isaac Bruce as well as the British Gazeteers will dissapoint you- the pashtun and baloch tribes on the outskirts of the cantonement sent constant raids to the cantonment and had a very limited role in building the city (i.e. just the cantonment). Nothing to feel offendend for and no need to justify their actions.
Thanks S. A. Kaker for your comments and for referring us to ‘Forward Policy and Its Results by Richard Isaac Bruce as well as the British Gazetteers’. As far as British Gazetteer is concerned, I’m sure many people from Balochistan are not only familiar with the ‘The Gazetteer of Balochistan’ but also with the contents therein – luckily I’ve got a copy that deals only with Quetta-Pishin district.
Regarding your last sentence, I’m not sure whom are you referring to when you say, I quote from above “Nothing to feel offended for and no need to justify their actions”. Offended by whose role? By the role of those who had occupied our land or by the role of those tribes who were attacking the occupiers from time to time so that they could push the foreigners outside of their territory! Same applies to when you say ‘…no need to justify their actions. Well, I have never justified occupation by foreigners and their actions – if this is what you were trying to imply! On the contrary if you meant the actions taken by the tribes, then they had no choice but to do their utmost to send back the British occupiers!
Perhaps a little clarification would be helpful!
Regards
Khadim
Really its a new information though i havent read this book yet m impressed as its about my own city n now surely i ill go for it .
Could someone please proivde me with the email address of Mr. Khadim Durrani Quettawal pleaseeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee.
I found this book in a second hand dealers about 20 years or so ago and was intrigued, particulalry as my father, brother and sister (nicknamed earth and quake I think it says in the book)and uncles/aunts were mentioned. I brought it to the attention of my father who pointed out that the buildings left standing were designed by my grandfather. Another uncle, whose hair turned white after a group of Pathans attacked his vehicle travelling up the Kyber Pass, then proceeded to sodomise the driver and bearer while believing my uncle to be dead (playing possum under the car) was also interested. He is the police man Ronald Anderson in the book. I believe that many of the statements were stereotypes, but at the same time the tribesmen were not the paragon of virture you would have them be, son of the soil that you are. They are fierce and insular and tribal to an extent that makes me wonder if Afghanistan can ever be a country in reality.
I am very thankful to Khadim Durrani who has given such a nice informations on the web site. He always encourages the nation to be optimistic in every field of life.
Regards
Fawad Khan
Birmingham
Durrānī (Pashto: دراني) or Abdālī (Pashto: ابدالي) is the name of a chief Pashtun tribal confederation in Afghanistan and Pakistan. Originally known by their ancient name Sadozai, they have been called Durrani since the beginning of the Durrani Empire in 1747.[1] The number of Durranis are estimated to be roughly 16% of the population of Afghanistan or 5 million individuals.[2] They are also found in large numbers in western Pakistan. The Durrani Pashtuns are usually multilingual in Pashto, Dari and Urdu and are arguably the most urbanized and most educated of the Pashtun tribes in Afghanistan and Pakistan.
The Durranis have been prominent leaders, as the royal family of Afghanistan is derived from this tribe, and a substantial number of Durrani Pashtuns are bureaucrats and public officials, as well as businessmen, wealthy merchants and hold high ranks in the military. The particular dialect of Pashto language favored by the Durrani Pashtuns tends to be tinged with a slight Persian inflection and is considered the more genteel and urbane dialect, often viewed by Pashtuns overall as the more ‘proper’ dialect, as opposed to the rougher “Pukhtu” version favoured in the north and by most of the Pashtuns of Pakistan
Mohammadzai (Pashto: محمد زی) (meaning son of Muhammad in Pashto language is the name of several Pashtun tribes found in Afghanistan, Pakistan and Iran.
One prominent group of Mohammadzai, belonging to the Barakzai branch of the Durrani confederacy, are primarily centered around Kandahar. They can also be found in other provinces throughout Afghanistan as well across the border in the Pakistan’s Balochistan Province where many Mohammadzai live as well. Another significant group of Pashtun Mohammadzai live in the area of Charsadda, Pakistan, in Peshawar District, NWFP. They are cousins to the Kheshki tribe, who inhabit the same area.[
Hello Khadim Jan, yes, I had the chance to read this book when was working in a private firm and found it interesting. No doubt it contains good information on the earthquake and as we the Pathans (Pakhtoons) are famous for “Forgiveness” we should forgive the writer and praise him that above all he preserved our history from the Quetta Earthquake. Thank you also for preserving Quetta in that way. Hurrah !!!