Its not a debate that there were 3 lac or 5 lac people on the roads. I guess everyone should be mature enough to realize the fact that we witnessed one of the biggest mobilization all over country in the recent history of Pakistan. I was personally amazed to see such diverse nature of public showing up for protest including lawyers, Old citizens, students, activists, civil society, ex-service men and many many more. Recent blabbing on the media about Long March being unsuccessful seems hilarious to me (just like the pre-Long March propaganda by media).

Why Long March was a Success

• A rally where student unions like Jamiat and ISF were standing side by side and did nothing to harm each other, focusing on the prime motive, isn’t that success?
• Such a wide variety of society segments showed up for the rally, isn’t that success?
• Residents of small towns and villages along side GT Road, standing all night on the road just to welcome the rally, isn’t that success?
• President Musharaf asking channels to stop coverage of the rally, isn’t that success?
• Big gatherings of people at Mall road, Azaadi Chawk, Gujranwala,Gujrat,Jhelum,Liaquet Bagh and in front of Parliament, isn’t that success?

Why didn’t they Sit-in?

Media is saying that this decision turned Long March to a flop. I think we need to get our facts straight. Few points that should be kept in mind are as follows,

• How many sit-ins we have in the history with so many people in them?
• How many of them have been continued for impressive period of time?
• Who would arrange food for all those people sitting in front of parliament?
• Where would they go for toilets in that Open space?(i know there was some arrangement but that wasn’t good enough for sit-in)
• Government would have never restored judiciary within a week. Why? Government will restore the judiciary but would never in a way that gives credit to Long March. Government wants to be credited for restoration of judiciary, implying
  • Judges would have never been restored within a week of rally.
  • What would have happened then? obviously people would start moving out of that place. Students would be called back by there parents, Civil society and Old citizens would have never been able to bear the scorching heat. Hence turning long march to a flop.
• Keeping so many people organized and patient for a sit-in in such a heat would have been impossible. Hence impatience resulting into violence, attack on presidency, with that comes 58-2B. No one will  disagree that a person who is glued to presidency would have given a second thought to imposing emergency. Resulting in more violence, even worst economic,political situation of the country. Restoring judiciary would become impossible in that case.
• In civilized world and civilized demonstrations if you show this much public power, the purpose gets fulfilled and there remains no need for sit-ins.

I second what Aitezaz Ahsan said,”its a success, we would never turn it into a defeat”. Thats what intelligent people do, thats what intelligent politics is, fullstop!!

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