How Rawalpindi turned a work of fiction into fact

Munir's Mandate implies that promoting Indo-Pak amity ridicules the sacrifices of Pakistan's forefathers and is therefore tantamount to treason.

- COL NILESH KUNWAR (RETD)

An imaginary tale set in the closing days of World War II, "Catch 22" is a satirical novel written by Joseph Heller that examines the absurdity of war and military life through highly improbable events, comic reactions and outlandish observations of a motley group of US Air Force personnel stationed at a base on an island in the Mediterranean, off Italy.

The title of this novel refers to an imaginary air force rule that is both absolute as well as non-negotiable and a logical acknowledgement of the undisputed fact that a concern for one's safety in the face of dangers that are real and immediate is the process of a rational mind.

Accordingly, "Catch 22" stipulates that any pilot who was crazy could be grounded and all that he had to do was to ask. However, as soon as a person refused to fly due to fear of physical harm, he was sane and hence would have to fly more missions. This implied that anyone flying bombing missions would be crazy to do so, and sane if they didn't. Resultantly, a pilot who flew combat missions was crazy and hence didn't have to; but if he didn't want to do so, he was sane and had to.

MUNIR'S 'MANDATE' Enunciated by newly promoted Field Marshal Syed Asim Munir who besides heading the army is also the de facto ruler of Pakistan, his version of Catch 22 [hereinafter referred to as Munir's Mandate] stipulates, "Muslims are distinct from Hindus in all aspects of life—religion, customs, traditions, thinking as well as aspirations due to which there can be no meeting point between the two and that's why our forefathers gave immense sacrifices for the creation of Pakistan and this story should be told to our children so that they don't forget what our forefathers thought."