KARACHI: Big turnout at Nishter Park meeting

The Dawn
By Our Staff Reporter

KARACHI, April 19: The city witnessed on Friday flag-hoisted vehicles carrying people to Nishter Park on M. A. Jinnah Road to attend a public meeting organized by the Muttahida Qaumi Movement.

People in large and small motorcades reached the venue to attend the public meeting. Young men on motorcycles, carrying party flags and chanting slogans, roamed in groups roads around the venue.

Sector and unit organizers of the Muttahida had arranged large buses to carry people from various areas to Nishter Park. Buses were parked on M. A. Jinnah Road and Soldier Bazaar near the venue of the meeting.

People from the interior of the province also arrived in motorcades at the venue to attend the public meeting. Many, holding party flags in their hands, walked to the meeting to listen to their leaders. A large number of women supporters and sympathizers were also present at the public meeting. There were separate entrance and seating arrangements for women.

Police and paramilitary forces virtually disappeared from the city giving a free hand to Muttahida supporters and sympathizers to have fun and roam the city roads chanting slogans and playing party songs on tape recorders.

People began reaching the venue in the afternoon, but it gained momentum in the evening when small and big processions began arriving at the venue and the ground continued to swell with people.

Volunteers of the Muttahida, wearing white caps inscribed with the party's initials "MQM," guided people to the venue of the public meeting.

Participants of the public meeting were well organized. They entered the ground in an organized manner and sat their with discipline. The ground was decorated with party banners and flags.

Ambulances and fire brigade vehicles were parked outside the venue. Reception and first-aid stalls had also been set up at the venue of the public meeting.

Buildings around the venue were decorated with large and small party banners. Stalls of snacks and cold drinks were set up outside the venue to facilitate people.

The atmosphere in the city and around the venue remained peaceful. A number of pushcart holders, carrying a variety of food items, thronged Soldier Bazaar, M. A. Jinnah Road and other places near the public meeting venue.

Police were deployed around the venue and atop surrounding buildings. Youths, with policemen, were also present atop buildings to assist the law- enforcement agency.

A senior police officer said personnel of police and other law-enforcement agencies were deployed at various places in the city to meet any eventuality. "We have deployed police in plain clothes in the city to guard against mischief makers," he added.

Trie-coloured flags of the Muttahida Qaumi Movement were hoisted on electric and telephone poles along various thoroughfares and roads in the city. Banners were also installed at different intersections.

Young men in vehicles moved in various localities making announcements about the public meeting, its venue and its starting time. Muttahida workers did not do wall-chalking to advertise the public meeting which, analysts said, set a good example to the political parties.

It was the first public meeting of the Muttahida after a fairly long time. Political analysts say the meeting has set the tone for the presidential referendum in urban Sindh and it could also be seen as a sign for the beginning of political activities in the city as well as in the province.

This was the second public meeting since the city government came into power. Earlier, the city government gave permission to religious parties to hold a public meeting at the same venue.