A large number of people, including many women and children, were seen in the sit-in outside Agha's Supermarket in Clifton; their loud cheers drowning the announcements. Dozens of women and young girls sat cross-legged on the road, swaying party flags and clapping loudly.
Right in front of the crowd, stood a truck mounted with a loudspeaker, lights and a screen attached to its back. But it was these energetic women who were stealing the show. Wajeeha Afridi has been coming to the Azadi dharna straight from her workplace for the past three days. "I am contributing towards a noble cause," said the banker, her cheeks gleaming with fresh red-and-green paint. "All the corrupt leaders should be hanged. Only Imran Khan is credible."
The female demonstrators sat in front as the men formed a human chain around them to separate them from the zealous men protesters who were dance to every beat. Several fearless mothers, such as Ayesha Azeem, had brought their children along as well. Her two-year-old daughter dressed in a red shirt and green pants sat happily in her stroller.
"She says Pakistan Zindabad every time she sees Imran Khan," the proud mother, who is also a marketing consultant, beamed. Azeem said she was not afraid to bring her children. "I have come here for a better future for my daughter," she said. "We don't have any dual nationality. We will die and live here along with our children."
Another party activist, Sadia Agha, said all these women are stepping out from their homes for a better Pakistan. As she managed the crowd and shouted instructions to make sure everyone was seated, she said their party stands for peace, which is why the females feel comfortable coming to the sit-in. "This is a family event," she said. "Women are the vehicle of change." Fiercely shouting 'Go Nawaz Go', Mrs Nafees Iqbal pursued five other women from her neighbourhood in Gulshan-e-Iqbal to participate in Friday's dharna. "When Nawaz Sharif goes away and our leader comes in, all the other politicians will straighten up," she said, fixing her dupatta.
Behind her stood Fatima, who had come with her father and teenage sister. She said girls from her university had also come to demand a 'Naya Pakistan'. "Since childhood, we have been seeing either Benazir or Nawaz becoming the prime minister and doing nothing. Now Imran Khan should be given a chance," she said.
The women who were mostly from nearby areas came prepared for the dharna; their streaked and dyed hair tied in ponytails as they sat on the ground clad in their designer kurtas. Some young girls flashed their Louis Vuitton bags, and some others took selfies on their iPhones as they shouted demands for an 'inquilab'. Along with party songs, national songs such as 'Dil Dil Pakistan' were also played as an announcer shouted 'Karachi walon , jaag utho [Karachi, wake up]'.
A few live speeches of the party leaders from Islamabad were played in which the PTI MNA from the NA-250 constituency, Arif Alvi, could be heard assuring the crowd that they will become successful very soon. He urged the protesters to remain peaceful and non-violent. Meanwhile, PTI leader Asad Umar said that they were not only against rigging in the elections but also against a system where people are not given their rights and the powerful are not held accountable for being corrupt. PTI chief Imran Khan’s speech in Islamabad was also aired on a projector screen at the venue.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 23rd, 2014.
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