Cherat – The Far Pavilions

There are many places in the world that I would like to see before I die.

One of these places not very far from where I live and which I hadn’t seen thus far was Cherat. I had spent my childhood in Peshawar – from 1964 to 1974 to be precise. I must have passed Pabbi many times on the GT Road but somehow could never take the turn for Cherat. Later in life I heard many friends describe their training routine as special services officers in Cherat. I also read about it in the books authored by former SSG officers (Unlikely Beginnings by Major General A.O. Mitha and The Way it Was by Brigadier Z.A. Khan) and could conjure in my mind a remote and secluded hill station, where volunteers opting for the special forces were put through their uber-tough regime to become a commando.

My chance to visit Cherat came late in life, on a cold January day. An officer who was a second lieutenant when I had commanded my first battalion in Kashmir had just recently become the Commandant of the Special Operations School (SOS). Can I come visit him? I asked the young lieutenant colonel. “Sure come right away,” was the spontaneous and warm reply. So as not let the fleeting moment escape, we quickly packed an overnight bag and left in the fading afternoon light towards Cherat. As per instructions I drove on the Motorway uptil Peshawar and then retraced my journey back to Pabbi (about 20 kms from Peshawar) and turned right through the Bab-e-Khattak. Cherat I had been told was 37 kms from this symbolic entryway into Khattak territory. We drove past the Jallozai camp that had gained fame and notoriety as one of the largest refugee camps for the Afghans fleeing the Soviets. It still houses Internally Displaced People (IDPs) from the tribal areas. It was dark by the time we reached the APS Check Post and it was darker and steeper still as we waited at Chapri Check Post for the traffic coming downhill. It is one way and the traffic uphill and downhill opens every 15-30 minutes. It was pitch dark by the time we entered the cantonment and couldn’t do much but enjoy a wonderful dinner with our host.
Cherat was first used as a place for a sanatorium for the British troops escaping the hot malarial plains of Peshawar in 1861. It was turned into a military garrison in 1886. The British constructed churches and bungalows and buried their dead in the quaint graveyard overlooking the valleys below. At least one of the churches and most of the bungalows are still being put to good use. Cherat provides a commanding view of the Peshawar and Khwarra Valleys. Towards the west mountain ranges are demarcating the Frontier Region Kohat and in the east on a clear day, one can see the bend of the mighty Indus. From 1949 to 1955 the boys wing of the Armored Corps Center was located here, One of its famous officers was Captain Zia ul Haq. In 1955 Cherat became home to Pakistan’s nascent Special Forces. Ever since its claim to fame has been its significance as the training area for the SSG.
The morning view was glorious as the sun rose from the east and shed its light on the hamlets located in the verdant valleys below. There is a profusion of wild olives at several places and wild boar and jackals find a ready habitat to procreate and roam free. After the weather had become bearable (Cherat is located at 4500 feet and can be pretty cold) our host arrived to take us for a visit of the small cantonment. The SSG has converted most of the available area into their training ground. On the bare rocks one can still see the crests of the British regiments that lived here. The SSG has put up a huge monument at a prominent place to commemorate its fallen comrades. The survival range is an interesting place and the visitor marvels at the clever improvisations done by the Special Forces to strike terror into the hearts of the enemy. The SSG not only prepares troops from all branches of the military but it also train soldiers from friendly countries. The Cherat training is held in high esteem internationally. A barrack has been converted into a museum, where personal possessions of heroes, relics from special operations and war trophies have been displayed. An NCO gave us a guided tour and familiarized us with the history of the Special Forces. It was a great feeling to have been to this great place and it was with a happy feeling that we descended from Cherat, the next afternoon, to make our way back to the hum drum of our daily lives in Islamabad.