General Ayub Khan, the commanding officer of the Pakistan Army, was seated behind his large oak desk in the military headquarters of Rawalpindi when the news hit him like a punch to the gut.
His aide, Major Zubair, had just entered the office, his face pale, clutching a document in his hand.
"Sir," Zubair said, barely able to hide the tension in his voice, "there's something you need to see."
Ayub looked up from the reports on his desk. The sun was just setting over the city, casting a dull orange glow through the windows.
He was tired after a long day of meetings and strategy sessions, most of them focused on maintaining the delicate balance of power between Pakistan and India.
But the look on Zubair's face was enough to make his fatigue vanish instantly.
"What is it, Major?" Ayub asked, his voice sharp but steady.
Zubair handed over the document without a word.
