Adil Najam

At the new Prime Minister's oath-taking recently, the body language of Gen. Pervez Musharraf as well as Yousuf Raza Gillani made it obvious that neither was comfortable being with the other. Each has deep reasons to distrust the motives of the other. One doubts, therefore, if they took any time t reminiscence about their college days. Both, after all, went to college at Lahore's famed Forman Christian (F.C.) College; although at different times.

Had they done so, they would have found that they are a part of a fast growing fraternity of FC Colege (and, now, University) who are now making it to the top offices in Pakistan politics.

Former President Sardar Farooq Leghari was the first one in this new crop of powerful Formanites, but recently there has been an absolute flurry. Gen. Pervez Musharraf as President and Syed Yousuf Raza Gillani as Prime Minister are, of course, Formanites too. But so have been Prime Ministers Zafarullah Khan Jamali, Chaudhry Shujaat, and Mohamedmian Soomro.

None of them seem to flaunt their college colors too hard - except Gen. Musharraf in his memories. Those mentions included, none of them seem to share with the public any lasting memories of their educational exploits at FC College and their is little indication that any of them had made deep marks for scholarship there. That notwithstanding, there is clearly a rise in the number of Formanites in power.

It used to be that Government College (and Aitchison College) were the power schools in Lahore. FC College would give them a run for their money in cricket, but not always in power corridors. That, it seems, has changed. Beware Ravians!