Army Museum Rawalpindi and Art of War

I tried entering the Army museum Rawalpindi from the General Headquarters side and an avalanche of security guards ran up to my vehicle – chill out man!

They said you must go into the Army Museum Rawalpindi from the CSD side – so I did.

I was expecting to ascertain the Pakistan Army’s Art of War since this museum is visited by foreign Military Dignitaries.

Furthermore, I wanted to read about National political objectives achieved through controlled violence in enemy territory.

What I was expecting to enjoy was

• Military art,
• Superior maneuvering,
• Overwhelming firepower,
• Mobility
• Propaganda
• Minimal effort,
• Wins without wars,
• Military discipline,
• Training
• Military subversion.

The Supreme Art of War Quotes

• “let your great object be (political) victory, not lengthy campaigns” Sun Tzu
• “Win without fighting” Sun Tzu
• “Political objective (in enemy territory) is the goal, war is the means of reaching it, and the means can never be considered isolated from the purposes” Carl von Clausewitz
• “We must mass our forces at the hub of all power and movement – the enemy’s center of gravity” Carl von Clausewitz

What I saw was a reasonably good effort to do that.

How to get to Army Museum Rawalpindi

You would have to park your car in the CSD parking near Lal Kurti and walk into the signboard that reads Army Museum Rawalpindi

Army Museum Rawalpindi Fee and Number

• Army Museum Fee is Rs 50 for adults and Civilians’.
• The fee for Kids is probably Rs 20 per child
• Army Museum Phone Number 051–5147630
• Museum Timings 0900 am to 3 pm Wednesday to Sunday.

Army Library Rawalpindi

As soon as you enter the premises, the Army Library is on the right side, which has a treasure trove of books for everyone.

Army library besides Army Museum Rawalpindi is worth spending two hours on a weekend.

There is something wonderful about reading the book of your choice under the warm Spring Sun, sipping Chai.

You can get your tea and snacks from the CSD canteen, near the parking.

My entry into Army Museum Rawalpindi

The Army Museum was once an old British Barrack but is now a swanky building with two floors and galleries along the rim of each floor.

While facing the Army Museum, there are heavy guns and tracked vehicles on the left- and right-hand sides.

Smack in the middle is the statue of Havildar Khudadad Khan (1888–1971), the legendary Victoria Cross soldier from Chakwal.

Khudadad Khan was the only soldier from the Baloch unit who survived the full-frontal German Attack at Ypres in the First World War.

Walking around the imposing figure of this brave Rajput soldier who fought for an occupying power, I thanked God Pakistan has some semblance of independence from the exploitative colonial rule.

As soon as I entered the main hall, Ayub Khan’s extravagant limousine with four stars is parked on the left-hand side, for all to see the opulence and waste of shallow leaders that Pakistan got.

In the central courtyard is an obsolete Mashshak plane, a Llama Helicopter, and the motorcycles of Shabbir Sharif and Raja Aziz Bhatti Shaheed parked.

Each gallery starting from the right side on the ground floor and the first floor was full of obsolete weapons.

The interesting bit was the way each war of 1948, 1965 & 1971, and skirmishes between them were depicted in a theme involving life-sized puppets.

Puppet Galleries of Army Museum Lahore

There were mock puppet themes showing the

• Tribal Lashkar that went into Kashmir, after India annexed it by force
• The Pakistani irregular troops fighting alongside Tribal Lashkar to dislodge regular Indian troops in Kashmir.
• Pakistani brave regular troops regrouping and fighting off a major invasion by Indian troops in the Chakothi sector Azad Kashmir.

• Then, the War on Terror Gallery, where you see your own image had a philosophical touch of saying “the enemy is like you’
• There were several galleries full of guns and obsolete weapons, but not much explanation about what was significant about each one.
• The best thought out the display was the command bunker with an officer and two soldiers coordinating an attack in progress.

• The live sound of firing and heavy artillery in the background and low lights were impressive.

What I was looking for Army Museum Rawalpindi

I was looking for

• The Afghan Jezail long-range rifle defeated the mighty British army and gave a difficult time to the British in the Tribal regions
• Zamburak Gatling Gun that Nadir Shah used his mobile infantry to take over and loot Delhi one last time before the Europeans took over eventually.
• I also wanted to see weapons evolution from the time the Indus Valley people used spears for hunting and gathering right up to nuclear weapons.
• A gallery-appreciating the army for protecting the Constitution of Pakistan against disruptive agents, so that a real nation emerges, would have been nice.
• The efforts of scientists in developing indigenous weapons that brought about a sea change in Military firepower and protecting lives would have been great.

Suggestions to improve Army Museum Rawalpindi

• Armed guards within the premises of an educational institution seemed a little excessive.
• A little more truth in the errors committed in warfighting would go a long way in bringing about reconciliation among public opinion.
• A website mentioning Pakistanis’ martial history would go a lot farther.

After seeing an endless stream of guns, I went up to the souvenir stand and bought myself a keychain.

This museum seems to be a duplicate of the Army museum in Ayub Park and Lahore Cantonment.

Also, see

• Army Museum Ayub Park Rawalpindi
• Pakistan Army Museum Lahore
• Pakistan Army Museum Cherat
• Supreme Court Museum Islamabad
• Things to do in Islamabad
• Army Golf Club Rawalpindi
• Army Riding Club Polo Ground Rawalpindi

Then, I had tea from CSD outside.

Conclusion

As this museum is visited by military dignitaries with advanced knowledge and training in nation-building and warfighting, it would be better to dedicate this place to the political objectives achieved by Pakistan in all its battles since 1947.

This way Pakistani public would better appreciate the sacred blood our beloved Shaheed has rendered to the nation’s cause.

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