Undefeated spirit: Youngest ‘voter’ walks miles to support his Kaptaan

Draped in his PTI flag, even sweltering heat did not stop the boy from campaigning

PESHAWAR: He’s only in class two but his love for one particular party is so strong that he walked for miles in the scorching summer heat to reach Kohati Gate – just to show his support.

Eleven-year-old Hussain studies in Pakha Ghulam, on the outskirts of the city. When he woke up on May 30, the day of the local government elections, he pinned his dozen or so Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf badges on his clothes, took out his PTI flag and started walking towards Kohati Gate. Even in the sweltering heat which caused voters twice his age to faint, Hussain had draped another party flag around his body.

Hussain knows he cannot vote, but he does not care. “I walked as I have no money to pay for a taxi or a bus,” he said.

His long journey to the city was not in the heat of the moment, propelled by election day fervour; Hussain said he would “campaign for his party” regularly. On most days after school, he would walk to different parts of the provincial capital to campaign. The young supporter added, “For the last two months, I carry my PTI flag and walk everywhere.”

He added, “I work for my party and Imran Khan.”

Hussain explained he was the second of four siblings. His elder brother Farid sells vegetables and the other two are minors. “My father is a taxi driver and drives a Khyber car.”

His election prediction? “PTI is going to win all these elections.”

Published in The Express Tribune, May 31^st, 2015.