ISLAMABAD: Weddings got postponed, burials of the loved ones remained unattended, work and education affected and some participants sustained injuries because of the stone pelting from police. This is what I observed when visited the sit-in that has been keeping Islamabad at a standstill for the last two weeks.
It took me almost an hour to reach the spot experiencing a traffic nightmare coupled with a kilometer walk as all the roads in the surrounding areas are blocked by placing heavy containers and barbed wire. Faizabad, which normally gives a picture of hustle bustle presented a dusty deserted look. Personnel from Police, Rangers and Frontier Constabulary could be seen in large number.
“We have been waiting for the government orders for the last four days. Once we get the orders, we will clear the area,” said Saeed Khan, an FC member sitting on the ground with his colleagues making gossips.
After crossing the heavy contingent of Rangers, I was body searched by a young boy who was manning the entry point belonging to Tehreek-i-LabbaikYa Rasool Allah Pakistan (TLY) the religious group-cum-political party which is holding the sit-in demanding punishment to those responsible for making changes to the election law.
“We have one-point agenda that whoever is involved in making changes to the Khatm-e-Nabuwwat Law should be furnished” said Mohammad Younas, 45 who came from Lahore to attend the sit-in. When asked that the law minister Zahid Hamid had already apologized, he said it was not acceptable.
“When someone commits robbery and later returns the money, should he be set free or punished? Our friends postponed their weddings, some did not attended funerals of their loved ones just for the cause of accepting Mr. Hamid apology?” he asked.
Some showed reluctance and others volunteered to speak to me. I noticed that though people came from across the country but majority of the participants came from Punjab and that perhaps was the reason that speeches, poems and Naat played on the loud speakers which were fixed all around were predominantly in Punjabi. Though the participants were very polite and co-operative, the speakers of the sit-in who kept the crowed charged were found to be using foul mouth and at times encouraging violence. I asked the two lawyers Muhammad Badi-u-Zaman Bhatti and Muhammad Naveed Anjum who were representing Lahore High Court Bar in the sit-in if the speeches were not inciting violence, they said the administration of the sit-in makes sure that it does not happen and that is why announcements are being frequently made for the speakers to remain careful in their choice of words.
When I asked the lawyers that security of Federal Minister for Law Zahid Hamid might be compromised if fired, they said it is just a delaying tactic used by the government to tire us but we are committed. They were part of the sit-in since the beginning and were not worried about their practice being affected “Practice is not important when it comes to Namoos-e-Risalat,” they said, dressed in their black suits. Members from Islamabad, Rawalpindi, Sialkot, Lahore and some other bars attended the sit-in to show solidarity with the cause.
Prayers were offered right in front the container, which was used as a stage. For ablution around 10 plastic tanks were put to storage water brought in tankers from Rawalpindi. Briefing me about the arrangements, Muhammad Waqas who heads social media team of the LYP said that local population has been very supportive. These water tankers, drinking water, food items are all sent by local people, he added. Most of the participants were not happy with media, as they believed they were wrongly depicted as violent people holding arms and harming public. Do you see weapons here, they asked me. Nope, I see batons only, I replied with a smile.
The protesters remained organized and followed what they were told by the organizers. Several people gathered around when I was chatting with Hizar Hayyat from Muredke but when someone would interrupt, others would stop him. “Punishment for the blasphemer is death. He has no right to live. He will certainly die, he may even die in parliament” Hayyat told me referring to the law minister who the protesters want to go. From kids to old men, people from all age groups were spotted at the sit-in except women. 12 years old Muhammad Shah from Azad Kashmir who passionately responded to the slogans raised from the pulpit told me that he came with his father to protest against the amendment made to electoral laws. If the government fires the law minister, will he not experience harm? I asked Shah. No, we will not harm anyone, he added. Zahir Bashir 35 from Wazirabad joined the protest straight from the airport after arriving from Kuwait. “I worked in Kuwait as a taxi driver. I dropped my luggage at my sister house in Rawalpindi and came here. I will see my family when the sit-in comes to an end whether tomorrow or after a month” he said with passion.
Kamran Khan, 26 from Lahore who runs his mobile phone shop was both angry and passionate. “You see how we brought that arrogant Ahsan Iqbal to his senses. Nawaz Sharif and Maryam Nawaz were behind Dawn leaks and they are behind the constitutional changes” Mr. Khan said. Will he end dharna if asked by Army Chief, he said No. it’s the decision of our leaders that we listen to, he added.
Next to the tent where I had a brief chat with the leader of LYP, Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi, some dozen men were sitting with different injuries caused by stone pelting by police the previous night. They complained that their ambulance was stopped from taking them to hospital.
We have a clear stand that whoever made changes to the electoral law shall be punished, Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi told this correspondent. I asked him what would he do if the government did not listen to his demands? We will die or go to prison, there is no other option, he added. “You see government says it has corrected the mistake which means that someone had made the changes. Our demand is that whoever he is should be punished as per the blasphemy law of Pakistan” Maulana Rizvi said.
I asked him that according to Interior Minister Ahsan Iqbal, he was bringing bad name to Pakistan by holding sit-in, I am not bringing bad name to the country but in fact the government is doing that by remaining disloyal to prophet Muhammad (SAW). ” The government is accusing us of violating the courts, didn’t you hear what language Nawaz Sharif used yesterday calling the judges of the superior courts as thugs as well as busing the armed forces” Maulana Khadim Hussain Rizvi added.
Published in Daily Times, November 21st 2017.