‘Long March’ instils noble values, changes mindset
June 15, 2008
Islamabad
The lawyers’ ‘Long March’ caravans not only covered hundreds of earthly kilometres but also it successfully initiated the process of reshaping of communal attitude and mindset.
It is what that one might have witnessed while moving, particularly on Murree Road Friday, with the rallies of lawyers, members of civil society and political activists that were heading towards the Parade Ground.
Speaking at a huge gathering at the Parade Ground, the venue of the cross-country rally, at around 5 am Saturday, President Supreme Court Bar Association Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said the ‘Long March’ is not associated with coverage of earthly distance only rather it might be related to progress of community mindset.
The educated segment of society participating in the ‘Long March’ endorsed Aitzaz’s stance after witnessing particularly the attitude of youngsters present in the camps established along Murree Road. The highly sensitive attitude of youngsters offering drinking water, juices and sherbets to participants of the march reflected what Aitzaz said in Lahore and then at the Parade Ground.
The youngsters serving water to long marchers were offering their services with an unusual seriousness in a sophisticated manner. “They were not there for just making fun as they used to do in political gatherings,” said Professor Mohammad Tariq while talking to ‘The News’ and added the mature behaviour of the youth hints towards a bright future of the nation.
Participants of the ‘Long March’ certainly belonged to every profession existing in Pakistan. Huge numbers of participants were representing teaching profession. Students from almost all levels of educational institutions participated in the march. A group of students had established a camp of their own in front of University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, not only to join hands with the legal fraternity but also to serve water to participants of the march.
Self-organized groups of labourers, doctors, businessmen and engineers could easily be witnessed along Murree Road from where the caravans passed through. On Friday, citizens in between the age group of four months to 80 years were present along the road leading to the Parade Ground and it is certainly the phenomenon that occurs rarely.
Slogans being chanted by the children of not more than five or six years of age would have certainly strong impact on national attitude. A group of nearly 40 cyclists - children between the age of 10 to 14 years - also marched along with the long marchers for nearly one kilometre, from Chandni Chowk to Sixth Road in Rawalpindi.
A good number of participants belonging to female section of society assured the long marchers of their support by being the very part of the crowd moving in the ‘Long March’ and those standing along the road. Also a great number of women and girls welcomed the long march caravans at different spots in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. There were not less than fifty families present at Zero Point when the rally led by Aitzaz passed through there.
“No matter if the long marchers do not succeed in their cause today. Such changes sometimes take more than just days and what the long marchers have achieved might not be achieved by our political parties in the next twenty years,” is the stance of public that ‘The News’ got on Friday and Saturday morning.
While leaving the Parade Ground Saturday morning, majority of participants was well in high spirits. “We would do what Aitzaz and his team decides for a better future of the country,” was their stance.
The lawyers’ ‘Long March’ caravans not only covered hundreds of earthly kilometres but also it successfully initiated the process of reshaping of communal attitude and mindset.
It is what that one might have witnessed while moving, particularly on Murree Road Friday, with the rallies of lawyers, members of civil society and political activists that were heading towards the Parade Ground.
Speaking at a huge gathering at the Parade Ground, the venue of the cross-country rally, at around 5 am Saturday, President Supreme Court Bar Association Chaudhry Aitzaz Ahsan said the ‘Long March’ is not associated with coverage of earthly distance only rather it might be related to progress of community mindset.
The educated segment of society participating in the ‘Long March’ endorsed Aitzaz’s stance after witnessing particularly the attitude of youngsters present in the camps established along Murree Road. The highly sensitive attitude of youngsters offering drinking water, juices and sherbets to participants of the march reflected what Aitzaz said in Lahore and then at the Parade Ground.
The youngsters serving water to long marchers were offering their services with an unusual seriousness in a sophisticated manner. “They were not there for just making fun as they used to do in political gatherings,” said Professor Mohammad Tariq while talking to ‘The News’ and added the mature behaviour of the youth hints towards a bright future of the nation.
Participants of the ‘Long March’ certainly belonged to every profession existing in Pakistan. Huge numbers of participants were representing teaching profession. Students from almost all levels of educational institutions participated in the march. A group of students had established a camp of their own in front of University of Arid Agriculture, Rawalpindi, not only to join hands with the legal fraternity but also to serve water to participants of the march.
Self-organized groups of labourers, doctors, businessmen and engineers could easily be witnessed along Murree Road from where the caravans passed through. On Friday, citizens in between the age group of four months to 80 years were present along the road leading to the Parade Ground and it is certainly the phenomenon that occurs rarely.
Slogans being chanted by the children of not more than five or six years of age would have certainly strong impact on national attitude. A group of nearly 40 cyclists - children between the age of 10 to 14 years - also marched along with the long marchers for nearly one kilometre, from Chandni Chowk to Sixth Road in Rawalpindi.
A good number of participants belonging to female section of society assured the long marchers of their support by being the very part of the crowd moving in the ‘Long March’ and those standing along the road. Also a great number of women and girls welcomed the long march caravans at different spots in the twin cities of Islamabad and Rawalpindi. There were not less than fifty families present at Zero Point when the rally led by Aitzaz passed through there.
“No matter if the long marchers do not succeed in their cause today. Such changes sometimes take more than just days and what the long marchers have achieved might not be achieved by our political parties in the next twenty years,” is the stance of public that ‘The News’ got on Friday and Saturday morning.
While leaving the Parade Ground Saturday morning, majority of participants was well in high spirits. “We would do what Aitzaz and his team decides for a better future of the country,” was their stance.
