ISLAMABAD: Ayesha Muqadas along with her sisters was trying to collect her belonging at the sit-in of Pakistan Awami Tehreek (PAT) on Friday.

She reached Islamabad to participate in the sit-in with a minimum luggage because she was hopeful that the revolution would come within a week.

But after the first two weeks, she called her younger brother to bring more clothes for her as the sit-in got prolonged.

Ayesha, 29, a resident of Lalamusa tehsil in the district of Gujrat, told Dawn that it was difficult for the participants of the sit-in to stay in the tattered tents. “But we are staying under the open sky to create awareness among the citizens about their rights.”

She said she was teaching in one of the schools managed by the Minhaj Welfare Foundation in Lalamusa.

She said Dr Tahirul Qadri, the chief of PAT, on Friday directed the participants of the sit-in to move their tents to outside the cabinet block and the PTV building.

“Do you know we are moving our tents for the forth time from one place to another during the last 58 days since the sit-in started.”

She said her family, along with other participants, celebrated Eid outside Parliament House.

Tahirul Qadri will leave Islamabad along with hundreds of supporters for a rally in Faisalabad on the 12th

Mohammad Imran, 20, a resident of Mian Channu, said his family members returned to their hometown after Eidul Azha.

He said thousands of people had already left the sit-in on the directions of the PAT chief before and after the Eid for making preparations for the public gatherings to be held in Lahore, Faisalabad Jhang and Abbattabad.

“Dozens of tents are lying vacant near the PTV building and outside the cabinet block while Dr Qadri will leave for the public gathering in Faisalabad on October 12 along with hundreds of people that’s why the party leadership wants the participants of the sit-in to gather at one place,” he added.

A resident of Sargodha, Riaz Kalyar, 52, arrived in the sit-in to celebrate Eidul Azha.

“I am a supporter of the PAT chief and was interested to celebrate Eid at the sit-in. I will return to my hometown on October 12,” he said.

“I am very happy because I got the opportunity to eat camel’s meat for the first time in my life at the sit-in,” Kalyar added.

According to the workers of PAT, it was difficult for the management of the sit-in to bear the additional expenses of some of the tents taken on rent. As a result, the party leadership directed the participants to stay in the empty tents near the PTV building and the cabinet block so that the remaining could be returned.

In the meantime, Ayesha Musadiq said she was hopeful that it would be her last shifting within the venue of the sit-in.

Published in Dawn, October 11th , 2014