The Change Happened

Million Dollar Smile


7^th March 2013
Lahore

This day marked the change which was meant to happen. PTI Chairman Imran Khan was to visit Lahore for the election campaign, he had a program lined up to visit, make speeches at eight different venues in the city. As per the itinerary released by PTI Social Media, the following was to be covered by him;
4 PM, NA-126 Ghalib Market, Gulberg
5 PM, NA-128 Railway Ground, Raiwind
6 PM, NA-125 XX-Block Ground, DHA
7 PM, NA-122 Allama Iqbal Road, Garhi Shahu
7:30 PM, NA-123 Ali Park, Shawala Chowk, Baghbanpura
8 PM, NA-120 Nehru Park, Sanat Nagar
9 PM, NA-119 Gwalmandi Chowk
11 PM, NA-118 Degree College, Abdul Razaq Stadium, Shahdara

I opted to cover the 6 pm program at NA-125 XX-Block DHA. When I reached the venue at 5:30 PM it was already jam packed. There were thousands of cars parked outside the Ground; there weren’t enough seats for the people so everyone decided to stand. Residents of this constituency had showed their support for Hamid Khan the NA PTI ticket holder and Hafiz Farhat Abbass the PP ticket holder from this party. There was media presence, there were students, families, young and old, and there was foreign media presence too. Till 6:30 pm, the crowd was alight with passion; they were chanting with joy, thousands of PTI flags being waved on the party’s anthem and celebrating the essence of coming elections, of near victory, this Euphoria was aesthetically admirable. Speeches by Omar Cheema, Faisal Javed Khan, Shahzaman, Hamid Khan and Hafiz Farhat Abbas were enthusiastically appreciated and intonated upon with hails of “we are Tsunami”, “we are Change”, “Naya Pakistan.” People were donating money, a respected lady Mrs. Naila Zafar announced she will donate Imran Khan printed Kurtas to all those who would place an order. Fascinating unique spirit of the people, never witnessed before. I was absorbing the events, jotting down precious anecdotes from people nearby.

As the mass of people waited anxiously for Imran Khan to arrive the venue, an announcement was made by Faisal Javed Khan at 7:10pm. Imran Khan had taken a terrible fall at the Ghalib Market Jalsa, that he was injured and rushed to a nearby hospital. From extreme jubilation the mass of people transformed to sadness, some people in shock, others crying. Women were praying, men were quiet, students were weeping. I rushed out of the Jalsa Gah towards the parked car, there were Rickshaw drivers standing next to their parked vehicles, one of them Ramzan said; “Imran Khan is the last hope of Pakistan, may God protect him.” I asked, “Are you a PTI supporter? He replied, “No baji, I am his cricket fan.” On my way back, I stopped at the nearest supermarket to fetch some groceries, the shopkeeper is a PML-N supporter (he has displayed posters of the contestant of that area) and he was not his usual chirpy self. He said to me, “Pakistan is a country where political leaders have been assassinated, hanged, trialed and what not. We have felt sad, but news of Imran Khan getting injured so badly has shaken me.” I asked why? His reply was, “He is no ordinary leader, he is a legend of Cricket, a game I have always watched and followed because of him winning the World Cup for Pakistan.” A lady standing in queue at the check counter had tears in her eyes, she said, “God save him, he has saved so many lives at Shaukat Khanum, my husband was treated at that hospital for cancer, I can never forget those tormenting days. SKMT is one facility which gave me back my husband’s life.”

Imran Khan endured serious injuries; God has been kind in saving him. This incident has brought Pakistani’s under one umbrella, and that is the umbrella of prayer for the Legend of Pakistan. His opponents may have criticized him over his political policies over the years but today all those people joined hands to pray for his speedy health and recovery. When I was in England back in the 90’s I witnessed how the British people cried and mourned for Princess Diana. For days, weeks and months, they couldn’t comprehend that tragic accident which took away her life. I often used to wonder, would Pakistan ever have a leader like her, for whom the nation would cry? I found my answer today, I saw the people of this country crying, praying for Imran Khan, and giving away alms for his speed recovery, other offering Nafls for his health, long life and calling him their hero. This unique phenomenon proved the nation has so much love, respect and expectations from him. Today, he is truly “Pakistan Khan” who has brought together everyone from Khyber to Karachi. The Change Khan had been talking about happened now.

His words from the operation theatre at Shaukat Khanum Hospital have been engraved, “I have done what was humanly possible for me, if you want to save the future of your children, go and vote on the 11th May, do not vote for a personality, vote only for a vision because this is your future that you would be carving, & the future of your children.” Those words came from the heart; he was concerned for his people in the hospital, they were encouraging words for the nation, to make them realize the key to future is in their hands.