Amidst all controversies, the much-awaited long march has assembled
large numbers in the capital city across the country including women and
children. The masses poured on the streets in support of Allama Tahir
ul Qadri’s and his stance for bringing a change in the country.
Wide speculations occupied media, questioning the hands behind Qadri
and his heavy investment in the advertisement. Somehow, the journalists
and analysts were not ready to take him seriously and one even went to
the extent of calling him “padri topi wala.” The cleric was suspiciously
viewed and taken as a Canadian national with the agenda to disrupt the
coming up elections that will serve the aims of establishment.
In the past few days, Qadri and his supporters missed no opportunity
to regularly appear on political shows trying to clear the air though
the rumors refused to die.
However, the scene changed when thousands were seen gathering, ready
to spend days and nights on roads till their leader’s demands are met.
Terrorism and weather did not deter them from participation.
Apart from the fact that Qadri enjoys his position as a spiritual and
religious leader with followers around the world, his demands were
victorious in touching the cords of the grieving nation. It was given
every reason to stop believing in the current democratic system for the
last five years and was desperately waiting for a messiah, which it
found in Qadri.
Though Imran Khan also managed to attract numbers in his addresses
but he is a politician who intends to enter the same system and then
change it. Qadri, however, opted to stay out and challenged the current
system, which he sees as corrupt and rotten. This reflects how people
are tired of the existing system and unwilling to give the country in
the hands of the politicians.
Half of Qadri’s address revolved around hunger, terrorism and corrupt
politicians; nothing different from the concerns raised before but his
objectives were unmatched. His success made opponents guess how whole
episode would be wrapped up and the Supreme Court ruling came as a major
breakthrough at the end. God knows what diplomacy was played behind the
closed doors but fingers are raised at the SC and the motives of unseen
forces behind the decision due to timings.
Well for now, the world has seen the resilience of Pakistanis in
difficult times and it seems that sit-in will be an important force in
shaping the fate of the tottering country.
