Post-Lahore party: They may not be able to vote, but Imran’s supporters love a good rally

The Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf holds a celebratory caravan in Clifton.

KARACHI:

Eight-year-old Zaafir is at least a decade away from being allowed to even enter a polling booth but he’s already formed a political opinion.

“Imran Khan is the vice president of Pakistan and wants to be the president,” remarked the young man, who took part in the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf’s celebratory caravan in Karachi on Thursday. “He’s a lot older than I thought. He is as old as my grandfather!” he quipped, while referring to the time he met the cricketer-turned-politician.

Zaafir hung out of a car at Boat Basin where the small rally emerged from Clifton and Defence, causing an inevitable traffic jam but providing a great deal of musical entertainment on the way.

Organised by the party’s South division, the rally was meant to make its way from Mai Kolachi to Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s shrine, crossing several neighbourhoods on its way.

At around 6 pm, pickup vans full of children, motorcycles and luxury cars formed the 40-odd cavalcade that was decked in PTI and Pakistan flags. The rally was meant to capitalise on the spirit created by the PTI’s rally in Lahore last Sunday.

Vital Signs’ iconic “Dil Dil Pakistan” blared in the background as party workers distributed flags, badges and copies of the ‘Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insafnama’ while children from the neighbouring area posed for photographs and shot the scenes from cellphone cameras. “Jiye Afridi!” cried boys in the middle.

Usama Qazi, who deals with the PTI’s social media initiatives, said the party’s profile has improved since the Lahore rally. “People want a change for a better future. Like we have no electricity...,” he drawled as he leant against a car.

But what is Imran Khan’s policy for solving the power crisis? According to Qazi, “No more loans. We have millions of coal deposits and five major rivers. Why do we have to get it from abroad like that Turkish ship that’s been standing here for months?”

As the caravan snaked its way through Sunset Boulevard, young men atop a trailer bopped along to the party’s song “Karachi se Khyber tak” (From Karachi to Khyber) as others shouted slogans against President Asif Ali Zardari.

For enthusiast Mohammad Junaid, PTI’s rise has been a long time coming. “I joined the party when I was 11.” He is 21 years old now and heads its student federation at the Government Commerce College. “I joined the PTI because Imran Khan always spoke out about corruption and terrorism. The party didn’t have a reach in villages before, but the message has reached now thanks to all these rallies Imran Khan has been doing.”

Another supporter Arsalan Khan tied a flag on his rickshaw. “Our own Pathan leaders are not as good as Imran Khan. He will change things,” he remarked.

PTI flags fluttered from Civics too. “We have seen the good times, the 1960s,” reflected Nosheen Syed. “The green passport was welcomed everywhere and look at it today... and he [Imran] has promised us it will be welcomed again.”

Nighat was another disillusioned voter who believed that “nothing is working” in Pakistan.

“Imran Khan is a spark of hope. He’s talking sense. Some of his policies may seem unrealistic but if he has the support of the people he can work.”

The caravan made its way to Hazara Colony and more cars seemed to have joined it mid-route, while Sarwat Rajput, the information secretary of PTI’s Sindh chapter, repeatedly urged over a megaphone for the rally to proceed in an organised manner. By conservative estimates, there were at least 300 people who participated.

The caravan’s scheduled route was to embark from Mai Kolachi and make its way through Boat Basin, Schon Circle, Punjab Chowrangi, Racecourse, Railway Colony, Shifa Hospital, Hazara Colony, Kalapul, Korangi Road, Khayaban-e-Ittehad, Qayyumabad, Defence Mor, Sunset Boulevard, Punjab Colony, PNT Colony, Gizri, the Saudi Consulate, Khadda Market, Khayaban-e-Shujaat, Neelum Colony, Shah Rasool Colony before ending at Abdullah Shah Ghazi’s shrine.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 4^th,  2011.