Should Lahore be bracing itself for a Faisalabad style disaster?
As PTI’s strike unfolds in Karachi the rest of the country is watching to see what happens next. Of course, Karachi was never a point of nervousness, not like Faisalabad and definitely not like Lahore. The clashes that transpired when Faisalabad was shut down. Will PTI be able to prove its prowess over Lahore or will we witness something that surpasses the brutality of Faisalabad?
Ahmed Aqeel, a technology entrepreneur, feels like the current situation is slightly ironic. “I remember growing up in a Lahore where ‘Payyah Jam Hartaal’ and other strikes were a frequent occurrence. It’s almost the first time I see a party that’s in power threatening counter-protests,” he said.
For some people the biggest point of concern is the police when it’s Lahore’s turn. “Bad press from maltreatment of blind protesters should have been enough to keep police at bay. However, their track record for mob mishandling this year makes me wonder if they are really in control. If a situation develops, I doubt that the administration will be able to respond appropriately,” Ahmed said.
Lahore’s biggest problem according to many will be the schools. Ahmed feels the situation isn’t as dire as it seems, “For educational institutions, it’s almost vacation time so it is not a big worry,” he explained. “Traders are split between the two parties unlike a decade ago, so I’ll expect some war of words and aggressive jibes around markets,” he added.
For some people the biggest point of concern is the police when it’s Lahore’s turn. “Bad press from maltreatment of blind protesters should have been enough to keep police at bay. However, their track record for mob mishandling this year makes me wonder if they are really in control. If a situation develops, I doubt that the administration will be able to respond appropriately,” Ahmed said
Overall Ahmed feels PTI as a party is quiet harmless. “After the show in Karachi, I don’t think anyone is as concerned about juvenile delinquency from PTI. They have don’t have that Jamaati violent streak as a whole yet. Faisalabad has a slightly different political culture, and dynamics within each party. More traditional rivalries there, some more on communal grounds than political,” he said.
Not everyone thinks that the shutdowns are entirely benign, however. Yakhshi Saleem, a student from Lahore, doesn’t think a shutdown is the answer. “They will not make the country’s political situation any better. As we have observed a mass destruction in Faisalabad and it can turn out to be even worse if it happens in Lahore because PML-N will try their best to fail PTI. The result will spill out as huge traffic jams, destruction, injuries and more,” she lamented. “PTI leaders should come up with better strategic plans to avoid this type of turmoil,” she added.
Maryam Noor, an operations personnel at JcPenny, Lahore, also thinks PML-N goes a little too far in its brutality against PTI. “My husband saw an old man who was terribly beaten up. He was wearing a PTI sling on his arm and had an injury on his head. This happened to him a day after those deaths in Faisalabad, even though he had been in Lahore! He told my husband that PML-N had beaten him up for sporting PTI paraphernalia. Other PTI supporters had gathered for mourning and they were attacked,” she said.
“PML-N should just let PTI do whatever they have planned. In an attempt to control the situation they end up making things worse,” Maryam asserted. “Of course, the shutdown will affect work. People in my office are already feeling uneasy and don’t want to come in on Monday. No one knows what’s going to happen and there’s a lot of uncertainty. At this point I’m not sure if this is going to help awaken the nation or end up with more dead,” she added.
Shehryar Alam Khan Bangash, another student from Lahore, isn’t as thrilled about PTI’s plans as many others. “The Lahore shutdown would achieve nothing except a day of stupidity and blindness. It won’t work out! The shutdown plans have been a failure in terms of bringing any real revolution to life. It’s only going to create problems for people who are willing to work. They will have to find detour after detour to find routes to either reach their homes or offices. Their lives will be placed at risk because of the heightened threat of chaos and violence in the city,” he said.
While some people are waiting for carnage in Lahore, others are still not over the political turmoil that came to be in Faisalabad. “I didn’t expect PTI to be able to shut down Faisalabad. In my view that place is a PML-N stronghold. I didn’t expect much from Karachi either but they somehow made headway there too,” says Sher Afghan Malik
Although the shutdown is to take place on Monday, Shehryar has to think further ahead. “I have my Bachelors convocation the day after the shutdown, and I am thinking of the kind of trouble I might get into when I make my way to the venue. I’m not sure if it will be safe at all. We all know that PML-N is quite active in Lahore, and we can all expect clashes of the worst kind. Unfortunately, no party or leader, no matter how charismatic, can contain an angry lynching mob,” he lamented.
Some people who voted for PTI are also growing wary of the tsunami that never seems to arrive. Arsa Khalid, an IT professional from Lahore, thinks it’s time for Imran Khan to call it a day. “He needs to rest now and then think with a clear head. The idea to shutdown Lahore is not a smart one. Why can’t he prove his might in KP? The dharnas are doing actual economic damage to Pakistan,” she said.
Like several others Arsa has lost her faith in the political system. “I don’t follow news anymore and I support no one these days. Imran Khan can’t change a corrupt system like this. He should instead focus on waiting for his turn and making sure that the next election is electronic,” she wistfully explained.
While some people are waiting for carnage in Lahore, others are still not over the political turmoil that came to be in Faisalabad. “I didn’t expect PTI to be able to shut down Faisalabad. In my view that place is a PML-N stronghold. I didn’t expect much from Karachi either but they somehow made headway there too,” says Sher Afghan Malik, an educator from Lahore.
“When it comes to Lahore… it’s the largest city in terms of a population of PTI and PML-N supporters. The people of the city will most likely be immobile for a day. It depends on how it plays out on the streets. If it’s violent… which it will most probably will be… but to what extent, that is the question. Plus a larger number of police exists in the city which means that both sides will try to show their street power and then all hell will break lose. I expect it to be worse than what happened in Faisalabad,” he said.
“The neutral ground is shrinking day by day. It’s a game of thrones and Lahore is the main battlefield,” explained Sher a little ominously.