I was impressed by discipline, organisation, calm determination, sense of ‘doing right thing’, self-control.
RAWALPINDI: My wife and I teach at the Rainbow Foundation School. Fired by the appeal of Dr Qadri, we decided to play our part. We spoke to the students for donations for the men, women, children who are braving the weather and time for our future. The children responded better than one could expect. Next morning we had a pile of gifts as donations — including personal toys.
On September 6, 2014, we loaded our car with all the packages clearly marked with contents. They reached up to the roof of our backseat. We left our house in Chaklala, Rawalpindi, early in the morning, not knowing the route (poor Pindiites!), we took a few wrong turns, but eventually reached the Dharna camp from the Margalla Road side at about 8am. This is exactly what we saw:-
All along the route, the police were very helpful. Looking at the packages in our car, they happily guided us to the correct direction. The camp started from about three hundred metres from Margalla road. There were numerous men, with name tags indicating their party and assignment, wanting to inquire and direct. The camp showed activity, but surprisingly, there was no noise. Considering that there were thousands of men, women and children, this was a pleasant surprise. We asked one of the persons where we could hand over the packages to someone authorised. He guided us to the nearest control container.
Driving through the camp, we noticed various sights and activities of early morning. People were shaking out their mattresses, spreading clothes out in the sun, which had come out after three days of continuous rain. There was a mountain stream of clear water flowing through the camp, where people were washing up. Beyond, we could see a long row of toilets in containers. Everyone had their utensil and were being served breakfast by the caterer quite efficiently. On asking whose party line was the one we were standing in, the guide replied, “Sir, for eating time we are all together”! I could see scarves of both the PTI as well as the PAT in the same line. It was a very gratifying sight.
The nearest command container we came to was the one we see on TV with Dr Qadri’s arms spread out upwards. On asking to see someone in charge, a person came and introduced himself to us. I explained how the parcels were from the children of Rainbow Foundation School, an amanat and therefore, I needed some photos to put up on the noticeboard for them to see. He quickly asked some men to unload all the packages. They lined them up and took out the toys to display them for pictures that were taken by my wife. Seeing the pile of goodies, some women and men came to ask for an umbrella or warm chaadar, but the PAT man in charge said no one would get anything. “We have no authority to give out anything. Dr Sahib will come and personally distribute them. He will announce on the speaker who these are from”. After the photo session, he asked my name and address, and the cartons were lifted up onto the container and stacked.
In spite of all those thousands of Pakistanis belonging to numerous castes and creeds, speaking different languages, having been in those unsettling conditions for more than three weeks of sun and rain, there was no sign of fatigue, frustration or anxiety. People were calm and peaceful. The crowd had a high percentage of well-to-do, educated people amongst them — men as well as women. We were told that the books, copies and pencils we had brought would be used in the schools for children.
Some entrepreneurs had set up shops and ‘khokhas’, serving eatables and utility items, especially umbrellas! Considering the multicultural conglomeration of teeming mankind there, the calm and homogeneity was remarkable, almost unbelievable.
The general impression exuded was ‘we have come to stay’. More importantly, I was impressed by the discipline, organisation, the calm determination, the sense of ‘doing the right thing’ and self-control of all the Pakistanis gathered there in such a small confinement. And all this, because two good leaders who have given this cross-section of so-called unruly Pakistanis, a sense of direction and conviction and hope: a hope of a new and better Pakistan.
We came back full of confidence in these two leaders and confidence in our nation. They have raised hopes of a better future and dared us to take charge of our own destiny. We came back satisfied and hope to go again next weekend Inshallah.
Ayaz Ahmed
Published in The Express Tribune, September 9th, 2014.
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