When the food comes, the men who are taller, better built, jostle their way to the front. The others wait silently. They take whatever food is left over in the end. Even as Constitution Avenue has become home to hundreds of supporters of the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT), party workers say it is easy enough to distinguish between the two groups – especially at meal times, when vehicles loaded with rations arrive at the sit-ins.
“PAT workers follow whatever their leader tells them,” said Masood, a PTI worker from Kohat who works with the party’s central cell and is dealing with security arrangements at the sit-in. “The sun can be shining but they will agree if Dr Qadri says it is night time.”
He explains, “The PAT workers have a spiritual relationship with their leader while we have an ideological connection with the party. There is no option of saying ‘no’ in PAT, while PTI workers, like Javed Hashmi, are free to disagree with Imran Khan.” But, he says, this freedom is one of the reasons for the comparative indiscipline between PAT and PTI workers, especially when food is distributed.
Supporters say many local workers have tried to help wherever they can and they have not slept hungry throughout the sit-in. One female volunteer regularly arrives at the sit-in venue bearing food, they say, while other local workers have invited protestors to their homes to eat breakfast, lunch or dinner.
These visits get protesters a hot meal, as well as an added bonus: access to toilet facilities. “We have had no washrooms since the rally changed its location from Parade Avenue to Constitution Avenue,” said 23-year-old Hamza Khan, who came to Islamabad via Peshawar when the Azadi March began. He does what many others do, hiding behind trees and bushes when nature calls. “Had the party workers come to Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, we would have opened our doors to them,” says Hamza’s friend Rahatullah, also 23 years old. “But today is the first day since the sit-in that I was invited to someone’s home to use the washroom.”
Bakht Nasir, a 25-year-old M Phil student at Quaid-e-Azam University, says he has taken many party workers to his hostel for short stays. “It is banned in my dorms, but since many of the workers are my age, it has not been a problem entering the university grounds,” he says. Others have taken to social media, posting messages on sites like Facebook or Twitter sharing their residential address and giving party workers permission to use the facilities at their homes.
Adnan Athar, a resident of Rawalpindi, said that while PAT workers have remained at the venue throughout the sit-in, PTI workers arrive in the evening and usually depart around midnight. “I have taken many of the PTI supporters to my home and will continue to take them whenever they are in need,” he said.
Some party workers have also extended help to their fellow protesters, regardless of party affiliation. “The participants of the rallies have been declared ‘political cousins’,” said Dua Khan, a resident of Islamabad. “I was not able to take any of the supporters to my home yet but I have brought clothes for the PAT girls,” she said, adding, “I will do as much as I can to help our fellow protesters out.”
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2014.
COMMENTS (10)
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You can't help condone the general perception that PTI fasadis are part of a personality cult, when you see comments like "the truth is the ideology of PTI in reality represents that part of our population who are literate" Just as IK is living in a fools paradise, delusional with perceptions and opinions, instead of cold hard facts, so are his followers.
I think this is the best opportunity for Mr IK and Mr Qadri Mr IK should come down and provide hot meals to these people and Mr Qadri should come down clean the toilet bowl and give bath or shower to these peoples. After all he wanted revolution in the country. This is the first part of revolution as well as he will serve the humanity too.m
The truth is the ideology of PTI in reality represents that part of our population who are literate, and can think rationally - but the real dilemma is that percentage is very low; PTI is the only hope for all those who in reality can see a bigger picture, are courageous, have confidence on their skills and can bring about a positive change in the society. The failure of PTI will not only be the failure of the political party but in reality will put an end to this hope for a positive change for good......
God helps those who help themselves! Those who are against these sit-ins and the people who are registering their protest had better open their eyes and think of the agony they have under gone, while losing their loved ones in Model Town and being cheated during the election!
funnily enough this is very representative of the larger picture, the same struggle goes on in normal life: one lot of persons runs after a figment of their imagination while others scrounge for the basics: food and the abc of sanitation
Ahmad and others of your ilk should have shown some courtesy and appreciated those who are there in sit-ins and raising their voice against the indifferent ruling elite, who do not mend their ways and continue to persist on their blunders and are unable to come up with any solution. Don't you think that these people have been wronged and justice has been delayed and the perpetrators have not been brought to justice. When would we become a nation that have courage to challenge 'the mighty' . If these protesters are not encouraged and supported by us , no one in future would dare speak against injustice and cruelty. At these their courage is to be praised and appreciated.
Fighting over food is common in every wedding , party and political gathering in pakistan and we should accet it as a way of life. I have even seen such scenes at reetaurant buffets in ramzaan as if free food is being distributed.
@Ahmad: I suppose you are happy with the way counrty is going... thank god that there are still people in This country who have standard abs values (was taking about the protesters).. Inqilab has already come... A rigged party that claims to have 3/4 majority has been shaken to the core due to their corruption and incompetence... All this was done not by opposition senior politicians, groups, unions... But by the common people who you probably didn't even know existed... or they also didn't realised the power they had!!!
Might is right even in the food distribution. How would they manage to rule KPK or the whole country?
Surely, no logical reasoning will be accepted by blind followers. That's their choice,, its is a free world. Thank you PTI and PAT for creating the mess and chaos. You will be always remembered in the history of Pakistan as touble makers, arrogant and opportunists. Their is no difference between you and Taliban. A simple question to PAT workers: Do you seriously think that "Inqalaab" will happen within 24 hours in Pakistan??