ISLAMABAD: Uncertain about radical ‘change’ in their province, participants of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI)’s ‘Azadi march’ from Khyber-Pukhtunkhwa (K-P) have converged on capital with their leadership for a ‘Naya Pakistan’.
Hundreds of PTI workers reached Zero Point Interchange on Thursday night. They can be found dancing and roaming around the area.
They have come all the way from different parts of K-P. But when asked about the purpose of their visit and what they were likely to achieve, most of them were unable to give any convincing answers.
“I know there is not much change in our province and area but we are here on the call of our leader Imran Khan and will stay here till he calls it off,” said Hamza Shinwari from Mardan.
Shah Khalid, who belongs from Kohat was of the view that in their area although, there was no radical change but matters in education and health sectors were comparatively better than was the case during the previous government.
Jan Wali, who hails from Nowshera had no clue about the purpose of his arrival but said that he was here because his friends told join them. “Yes, I agree that things in K-P are not up to the expectations, but what we can do,” he said curtly.
Many PTI workers were disgruntled as they were left by the party leadership to spend the night under the open sky.
On the other hand, the provincial ministers spend the night at the K-P House. The K-P chief minister and cabinet ministers including Shah Farman, Mushtaq Ghani, Atif Khan, Shaukatullah Yousufzai visited Aabpara Chowk and met the participants.
When K-P Information Minister Ghani was asked why they were here for the march though the people of K-P have yet to see ‘change’ in their province, he said, “No one can imagine what we have done in such a short time in K-P,” while admitting, “People are somewhat satisfied, but a lot still has to be done.”
K-P Minister for Public Health and Culture Farman was certain that the days of the federal government were numbered and “change” would hit the whole country.
While talking to The Express Tribune, a number of youngsters kept referring to Imran Khan instead of giving any convincing reply to the questions. “We are here on the call of our leader. Wait for him [to respond to these questions].”
Tawakul Shah, who has come to the capital from Dera Ismail Khan, sat on a green belt, listening to PTI songs being played from a nearby truck. Shah works at a medical store in DI Khan city area.
“Honestly, we have heard a lot about change in the attitude of the police, passage of several laws but the thing which matters most is change in the life of common man,” he remarked adding, for that the [K-P] government should be given few more years to prove itself.
But Shah went silent when asked about giving the same ‘few more years’ to the federal government.
Mohammad Adeel, a PTI supporter from Peshawar said that all of his friends strongly support Imran Khan but they were not clear what ‘change’ was trying to bring.
Ishtiaq Gul another PTI supporter and a daily wage earner, said, “I wanted to see Islamabad that is why decided to join my friends who were coming here.”
He said that he had not brought any food or water with him and had no clue where he was going to stay.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 16th,2014.
COMMENTS (11)
Comments are moderated and generally will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive.
For more information, please see our Comments FAQ
@Shahid Bangalore: Thank God, an economist!
What do you say? Metro bus and motorway is better for our economy? Or education and end of corruption (which pmln is not focusing on).
I am not anti pmln or anti pti, I am a pakistani.
I will follow, who will do any good for pakistan. I am awaam, who donot have any job after having 3.5 cgpa(A grade) in bachlors. I am awaam who can't think of a govt. Job.
I am awaam who is paying my home bills more then i earn monthly. These roads are giving me nothing. I even donot have any car to make my way on motorway.
So my question is for economist:
What do you see in pmln's economic agenda? You are phd in economy, you should be in a budgeting seat of the govt. While DAR is not on merit. You should be on his seat instead of him.
While you are not! That is what i am talking about.
@PRO PAKISTANI: @ Aik_PakI: Your arrogant comments prove that both of you are just Burger Kids of PTI, blindly following your Lifetime leader notorious for frequent U-Turns.
PTI's standing on the conviction of Chaudhry Shujat, Chaudhry Pervaiz Elahi and Sheikh Rasheed prove the joke when one hears Imran Khan's comments about these corrupt opportunists.
I am a PhD in Economics and I support PMLN due to its economic agenda and the way it is steering the economy.
@PRO PAKISTANI: You are right. It is not a new thing for me. This news-paper is known to support PML-N or at least against PTI. Lot of time, they don't publish comments of some people like me who only support Pakistan and work/stay overseas and send foreign exchange on which our beloved country rely.
For those who think that Electoral Reforms will bring any change or the new election (as PTI demanded) will bring "Change". I have one word reply to them "Really??" The Change can not happen with the old corrupt MNAs and Choudries and Jutts sitting in parliament via new elections or so called "National Government". This isn't gonna change anything. Its just a whole bunch of people fighting with others to get the rule. Pity for those poor people of Pakistan who leave their routine and families and homes for these self-focused people who sleep themselves in luxury climate controlled bed rooms while the poor have to sleep on footpaths and grass under the sky so that these people can get rule and enjoy.
@Pro Pakistani You are wrong, biased and blind when you say the only people supporting PMLN are those who have someone in the party or benefitted from it. I am from Karachi where PMLN is non existent and while I voted for PTI, I am with PMLN on this one. What IK is doing is wrong and if they dont actually focus on KPK, I will vote differnetly, maybe even for PMLN.
IK and his PTI want to "change" everyone, but they cannot "change" themselves. In fact Pakistan has moved on by 20 years, while they remain "unchanged", stuck in the politics of 90s, trying to drag the whole country down into an abyss of chaos.
The direction of change is economic change to benefit to citizen of Pakistan. Pakistan electoral process need a change to bring popular winning candidates to represent the citizen. We will have to do away with Dynastic politics and same people getting to the National Assembly. Modi, the elected PM of India doing away with Soviet style five year economic planning because India has changed. India is scrapping older planning commission to bring in new plans to reflect new aspirations of people. Pakistan need new vision to meet the aspirations and to look toward 21st Century. Pakistan is regressing for last Ten Years and PPP years been a disaster and the citizen of Pakistan wants economic change. Pakistan Citizen is being shoved to live on 30% Budget and 70% on Establishment, Not Fair to people. We want economic change to benefit people of Pakistan and Not political mafia. We want to do completely away with SRO culture and High Taxation. We want Dynastic politic Out, Feudals Out, Mafia culture Out, Defaulters Out, Ballot stuffing Out, and Transparency Electoral System. Naya Pakistan cannot develop on 30% Budget. Zara Sochiyae.
IK is responsible for misleading the poor people who solely are here on his direction. The Khan can take them nowhere if the Govt does not resign and/or meet his demands. This is like a lost tribe.