IT has been really uphill for Bilawal Bhutto Zardari in Lahore purely on evidence of how difficult it may be for him to move around in the city. He has made a few visits here, cautiously exploring possibilities in Punjab and having to be content with short, quiet stints largely because of the security situation.

For the chief of a colourful party that has had so much influence over Lahore in the past, Bilawal’s visits have been lacking remarkably in fanfare. They are low-key affairs at a safe distance from the town’s centre and do not draw too much notice. This could further hurt the weakened PPP. He is not relevant, or — given the hope he must still represent to the few incorrigible souls — he is yet to be relevant again. He is a routine guest who doesn’t excite people here.

The PPP in Punjab is increasingly a static subject. There has been very little movement by the party to try and regroup. However, this latest visit does indicate some freedom for the party’s chief. The salient feature was his address to the bar here. And he was finally found to be mingling, briefly, with members of civil society, which generated its own chatter. For those who must still keep track, here’s a selection of the not too unfamiliar responses the visit generated.

For the chief of a colourful party, Bilawal’s visits to Lahore have been lacking in fanfare.

“There is so much room for a party of the downtrodden….”

“Now what species is that sir? Where do we find the downtrodden today?”

“We only have the middle class. The middle class is overwhelming. It has leaders and parties it is comfortable with. It is least likely to be inspired by the corruption-ridden PPP. ”

“You have not looked closely my dear. Besides, you don’t know.”

“They [the people] are there waiting as they had once waited for Benazir Bhutto.”

“Yes they are waiting there alright. I ran into them when I went to a katchi abadi….”

“Allow them [the PPP] space, allow them to hold a rally and the people will come out.…”

“Sir ji, the type of people you are talking about are around no more. Or some from among them would have shown up in these elections, such as the recent LG polls.”

“You know I went to jail during Ziaul Haq’s time. People are always there waiting for your call. They are waiting for the PPP to woo them back into the mainstream.”

“That’s the Taliban’s narrative. You either join the Taliban’s narrative or you oppose it strongly, bravely now and here. There is no other way around this.”

“The Taliban didn’t allow them to hold rallies….”

“True, but let’s move forward. We cannot just whine about how militants didn’t allow what we call secular parties to campaign for the elections.”

“The rally would be hard to come by even if there was no security threat.”

“We must take the situation as it exists. Doesn’t being brave mean we can either accept the challenge or call it quits? Let’s move forward. Can PPP move forward?”

“How can Bilawal move forward? There’s the threat. There’s no movement in the people.”

“I don’t think there is any sign of a revival of the PPP right now. The people are not keen on a revival.”

“Sir, I think too many from among Bilawal’s elders have fallen in this fight. It’s time we allowed him to be free from political obligations.”

“Ok let us allow him to go. Who is going to stand in his place? Are you willing to replace him? Are you willing to take the risk?”

“Hain ji? Who us? Do you think we are expendable? We have offered quite enough sacrifices of our own. Kaafi ho gaya. Enough for every one of us.”

“Bilawal is on his way. He will join this gathering shortly.”

“Please, please, sir, please don’t show him a rosy picture. Please don’t sell him the false hope that all is well and the people are only waiting for his call to come out in large numbers.”

“He must know how gigantic his task is.”

“I suppose you are saying that he doesn’t already know how grim it is for him in this part of the country?”

“Are you saying that he needs to be told? He knows and he shall act to recapture all what is lost.”

“He needs to get rid of you know who.”

“Sir, he is already too late. At one time, it was predicted he would take Punjab by storm. The storm never came. Meanwhile, his party has been adjusted and accommodated in PTI. You see this wherever you go in Punjab.

“Bilawal did not come. He has not yet arrived. Meanwhile, much of the PPP has been merged with PTI.”

“Everyone please settle down. Bilawal is here and there will be short speeches.”

“See the PPP is here, alive and ready to take off one more time.”

“My chairman Bilawal epitomises the sacrifice of millions including Shaheed Bhutto and Shaheed Mohtarma.”

“Back in the LG election we saw PPP voters but no PPP candidate, we saw a PPP candidate but there was no PP ticket available to him.”

“The party won in Lala Musa, there could have been more Lala Musas if it had tried hard enough.”

“I went to jail in Zia’s time.”

“We welcome you just as we had welcomed your mother all these years ago.”

“I was there when BB came back from exile in 1986.”

“I am here waiting for you.”

“Chairman Bilawal, who do you suppose we should vote for in the absence of an active PPP?”

That was a tough one. At 27, Bilawal for his part said he was committed to being around and at it when he was 67. A long haul likely.

The writer is Dawn’s resident editor in Lahore.

Published in Dawn, January 15th, 2016