KARACHI: Driving to the airport from Sharea Faisal on Friday morning, when one feared the road would be blocked by the Pakistan Peoples Party jialas also heading that way for Asif Ali Zardari’s arrival from Dubai, one was pleasantly surprised to find the area clear. In fact, the first signs of security appeared near the Shaheed-i-Millat Road turning. There were also no makeshift PPP camps on either side until one reached the airport turnings.

That was also when the banners came into view. While the red, green and black panaflex featured pictures of the Bhuttos and Zardaris prominently, the faces of politicians like Nisar Khuhro or Qaim Ali Shah were also thrown in occasionally for good measure.

The jialas gathered at the venue were attired in a variety of T-shirts. However Zafar Cheema, who had come down from Gujranwala to receive Mr Zardari, chose to wear no shirt. He had painted designs and pictures on himself instead. There was also jiala Baba Akhtar Lahori wearing a long party flag in the form of a maxi that had a silver arrow at the front and back along with a big turban in the party’s tricolour on his head. He said he was originally from Lahore but had moved to Karachi after Zulfikar Ali Bhutto’s execution. “I have never set foot in Punjab since 1979,” he said.

Others still had come all the way from Shikarpur, Ghotki, Tando Adam, Mirpurkhas, Nawabshah, etc. Some, apparently, were less than enthusiastic about coming. Saleem from Ghotki said he had been ordered to go to Karachi by a landlord. “I’d rather be at home,” he said. “But what to do when the wadera twists your ear and pushes you into the bus heading here?”

Meanwhile, other jialas, after picking up a party flag or banner from outside the gates, were fighting amongst themselves for the free bags of chana pulao and bottled water. There were no trays, plates or spoons. They ate with their hands directly from the bags. Those who had had their fill then willingly joined in the practice of chanting slogans. There were a variety of slogans to select from: “Aik Zardari sub pe bhaari; Jab tak sooraj chand rahe ga, Bhutto tera naam rahe ga.” Amongst the most popular was “Khappay khappay”.

There was also clapping drills and raising of the hands with fingers making the victory sign. By afternoon everyone seemingly had the routine down perfectly. But where was Zardari sahib? Even the media drones flying above everyone’s head couldn’t spot him. The helicopter to fly him to Bilawal House from the airport was also going around in circles.

“Good he’s taking time to come out. It gives us enough time here to do some more setting and bring in as many people as we can,” said a jiala with a cane in hand.

And then they saw them — the senior jialas with bags full of red rose petals hurriedly made their way towards the well-guarded high truck with greenish blue bulletproof glass parked at a distance from behind the white barriers, taken from traffic police. All the PPP ministers, including Sindh Chief Minister Syed Murad Ali Shah, were already up on the truck, but the bulletproof glass reached up to their chests only. The PPP anthems became louder as the handful of women in the crowd sitting on the floor in the front all got up and broke into a mad dhammal with the men.

Back up on the truck someone in an off-white shalwar kameez and matching waistcoat with a shining silver Sindhi cap was giving directions to clap with the hands raised above the head. Programmed already to follow such directions the people below quickly copied him without realising at first who it was until he quickly sat down behind the protective glass while blowing flying kisses. Mr Zardari had arrived.

When the PPP chief ascended the bomb-proof truck he was given a standing ovation by the party workers raising raucous slogans. He responded to them by waving both hands with his typical flying kisses. On his left arm was bound an Imam Zamin with a black band.

Published in Dawn December 24th, 2016