ISLAMABAD: As the sit-ins of the PTI and PAT completed their 61st day in Islamabad, the supporters of both the parties from the twin cities seemed to have changed their priorities.

Though Imran Khan had already allowed his supporters to attend the sit-in only in evenings without staying at D-Chowk day and night, Dr Tahirul Qadri’s direction for the participants was to stay at the venue round-the-clock.

But as the chiefs of the two parties decided to leave the venues to address public rallies across the country, their supporters in the federal capital also changed their priorities about the sit-ins.

It may be mentioned that most of the marchers left Islamabad before and soon after Eidul Azha. According to the PAT workers, around 300 people are still present at the sit-in site of the party. Most of these people considered Dr Qadri as their religious leader.

Imran Khan prefers visiting the sit-in in evenings to address his supporters whose number is also gradually decreasing. Dr Qadri will return to Islamabad on October 16 and leave the sit-in to address another public gathering in Lahore on October 19.

On Monday, there were around 300 people at the PAT sit-in on the Constitution Avenue while the number of the PTI supporters was less than 1,000.

Azam Yousufzai, 26, a resident of Peshawar, said he was pursuing a master’s degree in English Literature from the National University of Modern Languages (Numl) and visited D-Chowk regularly for about 50 days to listen to the speeches of Imran Khan.

“I used to visit the sit-in along with my friend on his bike on a daily basis but later he stopped coming as he wanted to prepare for his exams,” Azam added.

“I am a supporter of the PTI and was confident that Imran would succeed to get the resignation of the prime minister during the first two weeks of the sit-in, but it did not happen even after two months,” he said.

“Though I like the agenda of the PTI chief to bring a change in the country, I don’t think he would force the prime minister to resign and announce re-elections.”

Azam said it was difficult for anyone to spare time and visit the sit-in daily. “I am attending classes during the daytime and have to complete my assignments in the afternoon,” he said.

Haroon Siddiqui, 42, a resident of Sector I-8, is working in a telecom company as an engineer. “I was visiting the PTI sit-in along with my wife and children despite the unhygienic conditions at the Constitution Avenue. But I could not continue attending the sit-in due to the lack of time,” he said.

“My wife felt uncomfortable due to the same routine at the sit-in while my children have to complete their homework as their schools have reopened,” Mr Siddiqui added.

He said he never expected that the sit-in would continue for such a long time. It was also not easy for people to reach D-Chowk daily after eight hours’ work in offices.

“Though I can participate in the sit-in on the weekends, my children want to go to the zoo. I also believe that there is nothing new at the sit-in of the PTI,” he added.

“Do you know my children have started talking with me on the pattern of Imran Khan’s threatening tone? I believe it is not good for them to visit the sit-in,” Mr Siddiqui added.

Razia Bibi, 39, a resident of Sahiwal, has been participating in the sit-in of the PAT along with her children and husband. “My husband is a follower of the PAT chief and we came here to bring a revolution in the country,” she said.

“My daughter is already suffering from fever and chest infection and I feel that the changing weather will create more difficulties for us,” she added.

He said his family left the sit-in before Eidul Azha, adding thousands of people had already returned to their hometowns after taking permission from the PAT leadership.

When contacted, Asad Umar, the local MNA of the PTI, and Umar Riaz Abbasi, the spokesman for PAT, said the leadership of both the parties had changed their strategies to continue their movements against the government by addressing public gatherings across the country. They, however, said the sit-ins would continue.

Published in Dawn, October 14th , 2014