KARACHI: It was “Jeay Bhutto” all along at the much talked about Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Kakri Ground jalsa on Sunday evening. And this despite no Bhuttos around, other than the ones on the posters, of course.

As the time for the jalsa approached, the Jiyalas in buses, cars and motorbikes roaming the city’s main roads in loops throughout the day finally made their way into the historic ground. Occasionally they stopped to get off and join in the festivities on the road where the old and young danced to popular PPP music amid cheers and applause. Due to security measures, the roads leading to the ground were closed for vehicles but no one had any problem walking two or three kilometres through the narrow winding lanes of Lyari, cleaned after a long time and lined with lime or choona.

Take a look: Lyari was and remains a PPP stronghold, says Zardari

“It’s always been like this for PPP. No one has to be coerced to attend a PPP jalsa. Hoards arrive voluntarily,” pointed out Nazeer Baloch, an old resident of Lyari.

Gesturing towards the thousands of police personnel and the people going through rows of metal detectors, allowing themselves to be searched, too, again and again at the various security stops, he said that many didn’t belong to the area. “So many have come down from Thatta while the others are from Malir and other areas of Karachi but that’s fine. Lyari welcomes all. PPP works for all the people so all the people are here for it. Unfortunately, Kakri ground is rather small to accommodate everyone. But it is a significant and memorable place. I still remember Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s jalsas. I also remember our Bibi’s wedding here,” he said before becoming quiet.

Meanwhile, speeches from the ground could be heard clearly even from Lea Market thanks to the loudspeakers put up just about everywhere. The people were reminded that no party other than the PPP cared and worked for Lyari. Giving them a hospital, degree college and university, etc., PPP has never disappointed. And the folk walking towards the ground were nodding to that.

“It’s true. PPP has done a lot for us,” another elderly resident, Qadir Baloch, agreed.

“But now things have changed. Look at the amount of security here. Zulfikar Ali Bhutto and his daughter never allowed security to come between themselves and their people. Our current PPP MNA and MPAs are also all wrong for us. Gang wars have resulted in the deaths of our children. We want peace in Lyari but the MNA and MPAs are not interested in working for peace here. Despite this Lyari is loyal to PPP. Lyari knows sacrifice just as the party knows sacrifice, just as the Bhutto family has offered sacrifices. We also have a big heart. We don’t blame Zardari, who isn’t really aware of the ground realities. We blame his ministers,” said Qadir Baloch.

“The PPP truly cares for us minorities,” said Iqbal Bhatti, who had come to Lyari from Nazimabad with his people waving the PPP flag. “Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari became our hero when he said that Pakistan should have a prime minister from the minorities. I have never heard any other party member or leader say anything of the sort. PPP is the peoples’ party. It stands for democracy and equal rights for all. The party ideology has not changed even though [Z.A.] Bhutto himself and most of his family are gone,” he concluded.

On the loudspeaker, it was being said how General Ziaul Haq thought he could crush the PPP by hanging Bhutto but the party’s beliefs and ideology have kept it together and strong. With the ground packed to capacity, the people sat on footpaths and roads to listen to what PPP Co-chairman Asif Ali Zardari, Vice President Sherry Rehman and Sindh Chief Minister Syed Qaim Ali Shah had to tell them. And no one left till they had finished.

Before the jalsa it was being said that the PPP wanted to organise it in Lyari to reclaim its hold over this place. What were they even thinking? Lyari was, is and will always be theirs!

Published in Dawn, April 27th, 2015

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