Marchers 'ready' for the long haul.

LAHORE -- The JUI-F crowd, accompanying its chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman for the last three days in his 'Azadi March', could well rank with the rarest of combinations due to their political views, determination, enthusiasm and discipline.

The Greater Iqbal Park, where the marchers stayed for a few hours on Wednesday on their way to Islamabad, witnessed it all on Tuesday, along with dispelling some myths built around it in the run-up to the march - like the expected overwhelming presence of pupils from the seminaries.

Predominantly from Sindh and Balochistan, a majority of the participants looked mature - ranging from late twenties to much older.

'The JUI-F has never used teens from seminaries for protests. It was all propaganda, which stands dispelled as one can see,' Amir Mahmood, in his 60s and from Pishin in Balochistan, said.

'The party has been on the roads for the last nine months, holding a total of 15 'million marches'. Not in a single case they were accused of using adolescents from seminaries. It has a strong political base among a cross-section of society, and in all age groups.'

All those Dawn spoke to knew what they were up to. 'Imran Khan is bad for the country,' said Mahboob Rehman, also from Pishin. 'Look at the economy, price hike and unemployment. For how long can the PTI and Imran Khan be allowed to play with the fate of 220 million people? He must go as our leader has demanded.'

Other marchers said theirs' was logical demand, 'proven' by the events of the last 14 months. 'Leave everything alone and look at the media. Do you want to live under these curbs? If not, what kind of explanation the media needs from us for this march of ours?' he asked.

Committed to the cause of their leader and the party, the marchers said...