DR Qadri’s self-proclaimed ‘people’s revolution’ may not have happened, but the events of the past few days have significantly changed the political dynamics in the country. The march on Islamabad has led to closing of ranks of all the political forces who now stand united to defend the system.

If the election date is announced soon, as expected, it will go a long way to end the uncertainty gripping the country for several months.

Nonetheless, the reverberations caused by the unprecedented dharna (sit-in) by followers of the maverick cleric are not likely to go away soon, leaving a deep impact on the political landscape.

Cynics may dismiss the march as part of a deep conspiracy by the military establishment or by the West to derail the democratic process. But his call for change has struck a chord with those who have been disillusioned by the current state of affairs.

Thousands of men and women who held the sit-in for several days braving a freezing cold and rain cannot be dismissed as blind followers of a megalomaniac cleric. The four-day dharna has brought to the fore the widening political, social and economic fissures in our society. The voice is loud and powerful.

Since the day he parachuted onto the centre-stage of Pakistani politics last month, the enigmatic cleric has been in the centre of controversy and his agenda subject to all kinds of speculation. It was logical given his dubious credibility.

His past association with military rulers Gen Ziaul Haq and Gen Musharraf, and his changing stance on political and religious issues justifiably raised several questions about his motive and agenda.

Dr Qadri has held the country in thrall since his return to the country to a massive reception in Lahore, hogging primetime on TV channels. The massive amount of money spent on his publicity raised some valid questions about its source.

Another question was where did he get that kind of confidence to announce a long march to Islamabad in his very first rally.

Dr Qadri may not have succeeded in his promise to storm the capital with millions of marchers and bring down the government.

It was nevertheless an impressive show of strength which forced the government to come to the negotiating table.

It was a highly disciplined and motivated crowd and not an illiterate mass being herded into the march. Mainly belonging to the lower middle class, it was an educated lot and conscious of why they were there.

A sizeable number of the participants may be associated with the TMQ, but interviews showed that majority of others were ordinary self-employed, school teachers, professionals and students, mostly from central and northern Punjab. Some of them were disgruntled elements from other political parties, particularly Imran Khan’s Tehrik-i-Insaaf.

The most impressive, however, was the participation of a large number of educated women. They did not move out despite a treacherous weather and a genuine threat of terrorist attacks.

Religion may have been a motivating factor, but it was largely the growing economic hardship, power and gas shortages and worsening law and order situation which brought them out in the hope for a change. It was also the growing discontent with the ruling elite which attracted many middle class people to the bandwagon. Dr Qadri’s powerful oratory also inspired many who are desperately looking for a messiah that he may not be.

A charismatic figure, Dr Qadri has proved himself to be a master manipulator of public sentiment. His marathon speeches found resonance with feelings of the people who sat there unmoved for hours. The spectacle of men and women sitting calmly under heavy rain listening to their leaders was unprecedented.

Certainly there was personality cult involved, but there was also a strong belief that he would deliver on his promise of change. But the hope may turn out to be entirely misplaced.

IMRAN OVERSHADOWED: Dr Qadri has taken away a large political space from Imran Khan whose flip-flop behaviour and lack of political clarity has cost him a lot of ground in recent months. While Imran Khan takes an ambivalent position on terrorism and religious extremism, Dr Qadri has adopted a very strong stance on an issue that has affected the lives of common people.

Dr Qadri has certainly come out much stronger after the marathon dharna in Islamabad’s D-Chowk. But one has to wait to see his next step. His agenda may not be clear, but he is certainly looking for support from the military and the judiciary which were praised profusely in his speeches, giving fuel to the theory of some kind of collusion.

There seems to be a strong possibility that his Awami Tehrik may now participate in the elections. One can also not rule out the possibility of a new electoral alliance between his party and the PTI. A new political chess game is on.