In 1953 I was a fourth year student at T.I. College Lahore. From the beginning of 1953 the Anti Ahmadiyya Ulemas (Clerics) had started a movement in Punjab to force the Government to declare Ahmadis as a non Muslim Minority in Pakistan. Majlis Ahrar was at the fore front of this Movement. They had some fire brand Orators who were trying to stir the emotions of the general Muslim population against us. Unfortunately the Punjab Government headed by Mian Mumtaz Daulatana was in league with them secretly and was funding them. They were given a free hand and all facilities were provided to them. Large amounts of funds were secretly given to some of the newspapers in Lahore to give full backing and publicity to them.

These were very difficult times for the Jamaat. The Ulemas were inciting people to boycott Ahmadis and destroy their properties. Some Ahmadis were martyred in the beginning of the movement but the Government did not take any action. Many shops and businesses belonging to Ahmadis were burnt and looted.

As T.I. College was a prominent Ahmadiyya concern the Ahrar concentrated on trying to put its premises on fire. Every day processions were taken out and some would encircle the College. They would shout Anti Ahmadiyya slogans and would try to provoke the students to come out and fight. Many a time they pelted the College with stones and rocks from outside.

Our Principal, Hazrat Mirza Nasir Ahmad issued instructions that the College premises should be defended with full force but there should be no scuffle outside the College. Full restraint should be observed and there should be no response to their slogans.

Soon the riots got out of the hands the Government. They became helpless to enforce Law and order. On the instructions of the Central Government the help of the Army was sought. The Army took over and strict curfew was imposed. There was a two hours relaxation in curfew hours for the people to do their shopping etc.

One day a Colonel came to our College and demanded that an office should be given to them inside the College premises. These instructions were received by me as I was at the gate at the time of the Colonel’s visit. I promised him that I will consult the Principal and would let him know of his reply. The Colonel told me to report to him at his office established in the Government College which was quite close to our College. I rushed to the Principal’s residence and apprised him of the situation. He asked me to convey to the Colonel that the Principal had no objection and that he may occupy any office he wanted. I came back and entered the premises of the Government College. There was a soldier on duty. He instructed me to follow him to the Colonel’s office. He asked me to sit outside the office and wait for the Colonel to call me. The Colonel was busy in presiding over a Conference. The time passed by and it was time almost for the end of the relaxation hour in the Curfew. I got terribly worried but there was nothing I could do. I waited and waited and became tense and anxious as the Curfew was about to start.
The Conference finished. The Colonel called me in. There were a few other officers sitting with him. I gave him the message of our Principal and while I was talking to him the siren for the start of Curfew was sounded.

The Colonel dismissed me and told me to go. I came out of his office and started to towards the main gate where there was a soldier on duty. He stopped me and told me that if I stepped out of the College premises I would be arrested. He told me to go back and request the Colonel to issue you a Pass. I promptly went back and knocked at the Colonel’s door. I was called in. He was enjoying tea with other officers. I begged him to issue me a Pass so that I could go to my hostel.
The colonel looked at his subordinate for his opinion. He said there was no need for the issuance of a pass. He i.e. I should be locked for the night in a College room where miscreants were kept and be released the next day in the afternoon during the Curfew relaxation time. On hearing this I nearly fainted with fright. I had seen the room where prisoners were kept in the College while going into the Colonel’s office. It was a small room with no facilities. Most of the inmates were workers of Majis Ahrar. If I was locked in with them there were sure chances that would attack me. Another thought that crossed my mind was that if by any chance the Colonel was not duty the next day, I would be locked in, God knows for how long.

When the Colonel issued instructions of my locking up the other officers nodded in agreement with him. The soldier on duty dragged me outside to take me to the room which was going to be my cell for at least 24 hours or more.

I followed him and begged him to help me. I told him that my College was at a stone’s throw from Government College. If he let me go I will be in my hostel in five minutes. He said he was only a soldier and although he had full sympathy with me he was unable to help me.
In these adverse circumstances I reverted to Allah and prayed vehemently. I said, “My Lord, you know that I am suffering from claustrophobia of confinements. You also know that the inmates there were our enemies and they would certainly attack me. I beg you to please listen to my prayers and save me from this torment.”

Suddenly Allah made the soldier lenient towards me. He told me to go back to the Colonel and request him to provide you an Escort as your hostel was only next door.

I went back to the Colonel’s office and knocked at his door. The Colonel called me in. I requested him to have mercy on me and let go under an escort. He looked at me for sometime and then called the soldier in. He instructed the soldier to escort me to my College.

I had a sigh of relief and my heart became overwhelmed with the emotions of thanks to Allah, the Almighty. On my way back to my College I thanked the soldier also. He told me that he too was a Pathan and wanted to help me all along but was unable to do so. He escorted me to my room in the hostel.