Long March update 16 JUNE

I returned to khi last night from the long march. I simply cant believe that I was part of this historic event.

It was phenomenal. Leaving karachi with a big crowd. dancing in the streets of interior sindh with jubilation. having "daal roti" on the road-side hotels.

Chanting anti-musharraf slogans everywhere we go. ignoring the scorching heat and distributing leaflets. being showered by rose petals by every welcoming party in sindh and punjab.

but the most mind-blowing scenes for me were in pindi and islamabd.  i was sitting on top of our bus and i could not believe what i saw. i can say without a shadow of a doubt that half of pindi was on the streets and waving to us throwing water bottles, juices, biscuits at us. i saw two old ladies of 85+ raise their hands and give us blessings, while tears rolled down their cheeks.

the scene at the islamabad parade ground was spectacular. nearly 2 lac people before me, reciting aitzaz ahsan's poem after him.

The scenes are now etched into history and no one can change that now.

So what if there wasnt any "dharna"? Its true that many people were disappointed. Its also true that the decesion to cancel dharna without even asking the people was wrong. but what is more important is the fact that so many people came on  the streets. if the people in the parade ground were 2 lac then from khi to Islamabad at least 20 lac people saw us on the roads.

To gather so many people from all parts of the country for a common cause is fantastic. This level of massive mobilization is not found in the annals of our countrys' history. this was truly an uplifting experience for a defeated society. such movement is not expected from what the west calls a "banana republic". each and every starta of society was represented in this long march.

we must not bow our heads in shame that musharraf is still in power but rather we should celebrate for the simple fact that we, the people, should enormous potential. My belief in the triumph of the human spirit is reinforced.

Burhan.