ISLAMABAD: Most of the well-wishers that turned up to see-off former prime minister Nawaz Sharif at the start of his political journey homeward were not locals; most of them came from nearby party strongholds in Murree and the Hazara Division in Khyber Pakhtunkwa.

The overall mood of the rally was jubilant rather than despondent, despite the recent political setback suffered by the party head at the hands of the apex court.

Dholwallahs kept the beat as participants marched alongside their leaders’ vehicles, and kept spirits up at facilitation camps that were set up along the way.

Visible lack of coordination among groups from various areas; most participants arranging own food, lodging

Many party leaders, such as state ministers Talal Chaudhary and Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary, could be seen hanging out of their vehicles, grooving to party songs.

Even though Nawaz Sharif, as a politician, continues to be a crowd-puller, a lack of organisation was witnessed at the facilitation camps, and even among party leaders who were participating in the rally.

In terms of numbers, the bulk of the crowd that marched alongside the Sharif convoy consisted of those from the capital’s rural parts, or were members of the Abbasi clan.

The participants who came from KP were led by Amir Muqam.

A major facilitation camp was established by PML-N Islamabad General Secretary Sajid Abbassi in I-8, while the one at Faizabad was managed by Raja Zahid Daniyal of the Khanna Dak area.

“We have come from Patriata to see our leader,” said Shakeel Abbassi, a contractor who arrived early Wednesday morning at Faizabad as part of a convoy led by Raja Masood, a local councillor.

Several vehicles emblazoned with the colours and banners of local leaders from Azad Jammu and Kashmir could be seen parked at Faizabad, I-8 and Zero Point.

Residents of Islamabad, meanwhile, were seen only when the former premier’s convoy arrived at these points.

“We came from Balakot and we plan to move with the rally till the end,” said Ziaur Rehman, who has family ties with his local PML-N MPA and belongs to the same clan as Sardar Mohammad Yousuf, the minister for Religious Affairs.

“Food and lodgings will not be an issue on GT road; we will pay for own stay,” he added.

The lack of coordination between the various groups was most evident at the two main facilitation camps; different loud speakers blasted party anthems while Islamabad MNA Dr Tariq Fazal Chaudhary was delivering a speech from his vehicle.

Less than two dozen women workers could be seen in the rally and only a handful of women and children from Islamabad were part of the main convoy travelling with Mr Sharif.

A number of women MNAs, including Asia Naz and Farzana Qamar, were present at the I-8 camp, but had trouble finding decent space to greet the former PM as he arrived at the camp, despite repeated appeals for order over loudspeakers.

A woman worker Dawn spoke to acknowledged the need to organise the party and discipline supporters.

The police presence was impressive, and three minibuses packed with Punjab police personnel in plainclothes travelled at the head of the convoy, who could be identified thanks to the batons and AK-47s placed against the window panes of their vehicle.

But thankfully, no untoward incident was reported and the rally crossed into Rawalpindi six hours after leaving Punjab House earlier in the day.

In Rawalpindi, the caravan was greeted by local councillors, led by Abid Abbassi and Hamid Abbassi, where drummers and dancing horses raised the spirits of the marchers.

Published in Dawn, August 10th, 2017