Homecoming, ANP Style: Senator-elect Shahi Syed gets rousing welcome

As chartered plane drops flowers on Karsaz road, three flights get delayed due to traffic jams.

KARACHI:

Awami National Party (ANP) leaves no opportunity to tell its rivals that it too, has become a dominant force in Karachi.

When Shahi Syed, the president for the party’s Sindh chapter, arrived in Karachi on Monday hundreds of party supporters went to receive him at the airport. Acting upon the philosophy of ‘your enemy is my friend’ members of Muhajir Qaumi Movement-Haqiqi (MQM-H) also chipped in their share of welcome for the leader.

Small rallies emerged from parts of the city and converged at Jinnah International Airport.

Shahrae Faisal, Korangi Road, Karsaz Road and adjoining roads were jammed for hours as vehicles bearing red flags and bursting with young men travelled towards and came back from the airport. Containers were placed on Defence Morr, blocking traffic from Sunset Boulevard and causing traffic jams in DHA. At least three flights were delayed as passengers couldn’t make it to the airport on time.

While the procession was making its way towards Shahi Syed’s residence, who also became a senator in the elections held on March 2, a chartered plane dropped flowers on it near Karsaz.

Pamphlets were also distributed with congratulations for Shahi Syed.

Although he did not take the name of any party, his message was loud and clear. “Karachi does not belong to just one party,” he said to his supporters on Korangi Road. “We have no fight to pick with the Urdu-speaking people but the struggle is against those who want to destroy the peace of the city.” He said that his party believed in non-violence. “We have come to the field to fight aggression and fear that has been haunting the city for years. Now the Pakhtuns of Karachi also have a representation in the Senate.”

Shahi Syed also said a few words in support of MQM-H leader, Afaq Ahmed. “There should be an investigation into the false cases filed against Afaq which resulted in his ten-year imprisonment.”

He also had a message for the leader of Tehreek-e-Suba Hazara, Baba Haider Zaman. The party held a rally in Karachi only a day back to push their demand for a separate province. “The people of Hazara are from among us and those who want to spread hatred cannot stop us,” he said. “If Baba Zaman wants a separate province he should go to Khyber-Pakthunkawa and hold public rallies. It is not right to disturb peace of Karachi.”

Published in The Express Tribune, March 6^th, 2012.