- While the ‘deprived’ PAT workers are determined to lay their lives for their rights, jubilant Insafians are hopeful that Azadi is just a few steps away
- PAT protestor says she is ready to sacrifice her life even if it won’t yield any immediate result, because her effort would at least haunt the rulers for the rest of their lives
Though the demonstrators staging two separate sit-ins in the federal capital’s Red Zone have been raising slogans for an identical demand for the past two weeks – Sharif brothers’ resignations – they represent two extreme strands of our country’s social fabric.
While the protestors in Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT)’s camp majorly represent a “religiously inclined rural class”, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s pavilion substantially embodies “upper and lower middle urban class”.
The PTI marchers appear more jubilant than the Inqilab marchers while the PAT protestors have considerably shown commitment to lay down their lives for the empowerment of the poor.
Despite the fact that both parties have set a new record of holding sit-ins for 13 days, there is contradiction in policy of both Qadri and Khan – while Khan has been preaching change and hope, Qadri has been painting a doomsday scenario, talking about graves, bodies and coffins.
PAT PROTESTORS GLOOMY, MORE COMMITTED:
An analysis of detailed discussions with the participants of both the protesting parties reflects that doom, gloom and religious rituals prevail among the PAT sit-in participants as the demonstrators were witnessed offering prayers and reciting Darood-e-Paak and verses from the Holy Quran but looked more determined and resilient as compared to those attending PTI’s sit-in.
While some fellows were seen digging their own graves, women were seen looking for coffins for themselves, showing that they can go to any extent for their rights.
The reason behind the determination appears to be related with the fact that PAT protestors, presumably owing to their social class, have a deep feeling of being oppressed, abused, deprived and denied of their rights by the powerful regimes since 1947.
The PAT participants looked more serious and aware of the challenges they are faced with – an aspect missing in the PTI participants who thought freedom was only a step away.
Another prominent aspect was the provision of regular meals to PAT workers, while some poor chaps from PTI sit-in were also seen taking food from the PAT container.
“We have come a long way from our homes for the struggle of our rights. We know that the rulers would never allow delivery of rights to us, so we are determined. We are ready to be killed or to kill but would not retreat,” said Faiza Batool, 22, a resident of Jhang, from the PAT’s camp.
Asked why she was ready to sacrifice her life when she knew that her blood would not yield any results, Faiza said that the blood of a person who fights for basic rights never goes wasted and haunts the rulers for rest of their lives as the blood of Model Town martyrs was now haunting the Sharif family.
“The rulers would have to be accountable sooner than later. They will have to face their end and justice will prevail, Insha Allah,” she added with her eyes filled with tears.
Zawar Hussain, another participant of PAT sit-in, in mid-40s, who came to attend the sit-in from a city in central Punjab, also spoke of his dreams. “I know this regime will never give us our rights. We know they unleashed a bloodbath in Model Town and they might repeat it but soon they will rot in hell. Time will come soon when they will be on their knees seeking mercy from us,” said a committed Hussain.
Asked what change he and his companions wanted, Hussain said that they wanted practical implementation of Article 9 to 38 of the Constitution relating to the empowerment of the common man.
Asked if he believed his dreams would come true, short-bearded Hussain said he had joined the “Mustafvi Movement” irrespective of success or failure. “If we are killed, our children will take revenge,” he concluded.
HOPE, EXTRAVAGANZA AMONG PTI RANKS:
Contrary to the prevailing doom and gloom among the PAT participants, a city full of life and hope lives only a few meters away at the Parade Avenue where thousands of young and old men and women flock daily around a container being used by PTI maestro Imran Khan.
Despite not being provided with life necessities, the PTI workers use their own resources to meet their necessities and were mostly seen in high spirits.
“Success is whispering in my ears now. It’s only a matter of days and hours now and soon the (PML-N) regime would have to go home and the people would have their own government in place,” cheered Azka Khan, 16-year-old PTI protestor, in a bubbly voice.
Azka, an O-level student, said her entire family was sick of the corrupt regime of Nawaz Sharif and now they all had come to join the sit-in just to be a part of the history which was in the making.
“We want to tell Nawaz Sharif that he must go now. We are sick of this corrupt tola (coterie) and want to get rid of these PPP-PML-N underhand deals. No more stealing of national kitty and no more stealing of our resources,” she added.
Mohammad Ali, another participant of the sit-in, said that he fully believed that with this vibrant media and free judiciary, Sharif could no more fool the people of Pakistan.
Amina, a mother of two, also cheered loud while being a part of the jalsa. “We are here to celebrate true Azadi (independence) from the clutches of rotten political thugs. They have struck an underhand deal to plunder our national resources turn-by-turn but we won’t let them fool us anymore. Now the people of Pakistan would rule the country,” she said.
She added that the 2013 “vote fraud” was the biggest mistake of the ruling elites and now all those involved in rigging saga were coming to fore to register their dissent.
