‘Outsiders’ outnumber local workers at Jamaat-i-Islami Liaquat Bagh sit-in

RAWALPINDI: A significant number of participants present at the Jamaat-i-Islami (JI) sit-in at Liaquat Bagh have come from central and southern districts of Punjab and parts of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, and many of them have vowed to resist the increase in power tariffs and heavy taxes imposed by the government in the federal budget.

As the demonstration reached its second day, Murree Road remained closed to traffic from Marrir Chowk to Committee Chowk, with containers blocking the artery that runs through the heart of the garrison city. As a result, local businesses were impacted.

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Approximately 3,000 people, largely workers, were present at the protest venue in the morning, with the JI leadership conspicuously absent. Despite the fact that the party had set up tents in the park for the demonstrators, the participants opted to occupy the road as a form of protest.

Mohammad Anwar, an Okara native, told Dawn that he had gone to Rawalpindi to protest inflation, which was terrible for the public. According to Mr Anwar, JI supporters are separated into small groups of five to seven persons, with the majority bringing a few sets of clothing. He did, however, state that they did not require sleeping bags due to the hot and humid conditions.

“We can sleep anywhere in the park,” he told us.

Bashir Ahmed of Bahawalnagar stated he traveled here at the request of the JI leadership, and his party included up to 20 persons. He stated that it was their responsibility to hold this protest against the skyrocketing prices and that he intended to stay here for up to four days despite the scorching weather.

To obtain some relief from the heat, the JI protester claimed he stayed at a neighboring mosque till dark. He stated that the JI leadership was expected to decide on the protest by Sunday afternoon.

Nisar Ali, a Lahore local, has been living in Liaquat Bagh since Friday night.

Kabir Khan, a Bannu native, stated that he and his friends traveled to Rawalpindi to protest the present government’s inability to control inflation.

According to Peshawar resident Sajjad Khan, there were many “outsiders” in the camp because some local workers were engaged arranging logistics for the sit-in participants, while many had returned to their homes after attending the demonstration.

Some demonstrators complained about issues with their sit-in, such as restroom access.

We have been utilizing the park’s restrooms, adjacent mosques, and even the metro bus stops of Marrir Chowk, Liaquat Bagh, and Committee Chowk,” said Shahmir Hussain, adding that the quantity of these facilities was insufficient for such a huge population.

A kiosk set up by some donors at Liaquat Bagh sold water, but most protestors bought it from local stores and merchants who had set up stalls near the park, ostensibly to cater to the demonstrators’ requirements.

JI Rawalpindi head Malik Azam stated that the local chapter of the political party was giving three meals per day to the attendees. “We have also provided carpets [to the sit-in] with the help of local workers and supporters so the people can sit on the ground and offer their prayers without any problems,” he told me.

According to the JI leader, the party’s local members were too busy organizing arrangements for the protestors, thus their numbers were lower than those who had come from other regions of the nation.