Growing popularity: Pakistanis in US see hope in Imran

Pakistani nationals settled in US and Canada travelled miles to support PTI and register their protest

NEW YORK:


It was almost a month before Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s address at the 69th United Nations General Assembly Session when Pakistanis in the US started circulating a note on social media to gather outside the UN Headquarters and welcome the Prime Minister with ‘Go Nawaz Go’ chants.


Friday morning, sounds of beating drums and loud music echoed from the 47th Street close to UN Headquarters. Hundreds of people started assembling swinging flags of Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) and Pakistan Awami Tehreek  (PAT) and chanting ‘Go Nawaz Go’.


They had come with the hope of chanting slogans against Nawaz Sharif as his car would pass the avenue to enter.

Pakistani nationals settled in US and Canada had travelled miles to support PTI and register their protest. Speaking to The Express Tribune, Junaid Bashir, a PTI supporter from Virginia said more than 200 people had come in two buses, mini vans and fifteen cars from Chicago, Connecticut, Massachusetts, Virginia, Maryland, Atlanta, Boston to support the cause.

“Go Nawaz Go. Go Nawaz Go” chants picked momentum as more people started filling the space.

“I work with a medical company here on daily wages and for me each day counts. But when I heard about this protest, I decided to make a sacrifice and try do my bit for the country” said Jamal Khokhar from New Jersey.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 29th, 2014.
Load Next Story