Gohar Ayub Khan's book provides an insight to the upper echelons of power in Pakistan. Basically this book serves as an autobiography. Khan provides details of his grandfather and father. He also briefly traces his family history. Ayub Khan's father was a Risaldar Major, and when he passed away Ayub was away from home. When Ayub returned home he opened his father's grave (p. 8). I am not certain if this is still practiced in Pakistan.
The author also writes about the brothers of Ayub Khan and their appointments. One of Ayub Khan's brother was posted in Chilas. Ayub himself was once posted in Waziristan. Gohar writes that his father Ayub Khan rode a bicycle to office when he was a Major General (p. 40). Gohar also writes that Ayub Khan raised the SSG in Cherat. Ayub had made ZAB the Secretary General of Muslim League (p. 142). Ayub Khan passed away in 1974.
Gohar Ayub went to Burn Hall School Srinagar where English was the only language allowed. Burn Hall was later shifted to Abbottabad in 1947, into the old Abbott Hotel (p. 17). Gohar Ayub also writes about the discrimination faced by Indian cadets at Sandhurst (p. 25). He also mentions about the discriminations faced by East Pakistanis, as they were patronized by the people of West Pakistan.
The author writes that Iskander Mirza was forced to resign and then he went to London. Gohar Ayub writes that G. Allana was sent by Bhutto to Mumbai to revisit the pandit who had make certain predictions about Bhutto's life (p. 141-42). Chinese wanted to build the KKH to be far from Soviet reach, that is why Kilik was avoided (p. 108). Gohar states that Yahya Khan had a draft constitution ready well before the 1971 war (p. 136).
When Zia was in power he kept Asghar Khan under house arrest for four years (p. 140). Zia allowed the establishment of a cement factory in Islamabad which was against the laws of CDA (p. 192). Gohar Ayub had good relations with Nusrat Bhutto. She expressed her wish to become Ambassador of a European country (p. 213). Gohar helped her in the process and when everything was almost done, Nusrat backtracked, most probably because of Benazir.
Gohar says that Benazir did everything possible to damage Nawaz Sharif's businesses (p. 207). Nawaz Sharif's father was arrested on the instruction of Benazir (p. 254). In 1997 Pakistan Muslim League won two third of the seats in the National Assembly (p. 264). Nawaz Sharif appointed one of his close friends (a businessman) as the Honorary Counsel General in Washington. Gohar Ayub suggested Nawaz Sharif to keep four things in mind to ensure success- to keep good relations with the President, the Army Chief, the Americans, and make no open declarations of war against India (p. 210).
Further in the book, there are details about the Gandhara Industries, meeting Zhou Enlai, Yahya Khan's decisions, politics of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, Tashkent declaration, relationship with China, testing bombs, economic issues of Pakistan and civil-military relations. A very interesting revelation by Gohar Ayub was that the National Assembly library was used only by 3.5 percent of all the MNAs (p. 235). Another interesting incident is about 13 Chinese nationals who crossed into Pakistan via the Shimshal Pass.
Pakistan gave $10 million each to the Central Asian States in 1992, for development projects (p. 295). Moreover, in the book Gohar also writes that the people and the administration of Northern Areas quote a letter written in 1937, which claims the village of Bhasha to be in Northern Areas (p. 313). In this book Gohar includes his decisions upon his return to Islamabad after visiting the region. This book also includes the events up till the appointment of General Ziauddin Butt as the new Army Chief.
I found this book very interesting as it gives a personal account of various events in Pakistan's political history.
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