JHELUM: Prime Minister Zulfikar Ali Bhutto today [Nov 1] personally commanded a heavy tank and directed its fire on the “enemy” positions. After watching a fire power demonstration of the armoured corps in an exercise codenamed “Al Fatah” the Prime Minister, accompanied by Chief of Army Staff Gen. Tikka Khan, went to the forward positions of the troops. … He mounted a tank, wore the commander’s headgear and ordered the monster to fire. In a split second, its gun fired a deafening salvo. Newsmen standing near the tank were shaken by the burst. “Sir, the shot has hit the target”, an Army officer reported to the Prime Minister. Mr Bhutto smiled and got down. ...

[Meanwhile in Kharian,] Prime Minister … Bhutto was installed as Colonel-in-Chief of the Armoured Corps at a colourful ceremony. … He is the first Pakistani to hold this office. Accepting his new appointment [Mr Bhutto] termed it a great honour and said that he would always maintain a close contact with the Armoured Corps. … He added that the Government would continue working for the uplift of common man without neglecting the needs of the Armed Forces.

Published in Dawn, November 2nd, 2024