Two years ago, our partner Oosman Sadiq had secured a job in Bahrain.
All his “dreams" had supposedly come true; the prospect of a financially
stable future in a good economy was mouthwatering. But God had other
plans for him. During his stay there he witnessed the Bahraini uprising, in
which thousands of protesters staged sit-ins at the famous (and now destroyed)
Pearl Roundabout.
The uprising caused a lot of innocent deaths, yet Oosman was
amazed at why such educated and financially stable people (in comparison to
Pakistan), could stand up for a cause. Oosman's other perception was that the
people of Pakistan would never rise up against anything. But boy has he
been proven wrong and that too by the most affluent and educated class of
Karachi. Yesterday, during the general elections, the polling station in a
school DHA Phase 4, witnessed a massive protest, as the protesters were not
allowed to vote! The polling station had not opened and since most of the
voters belonged to a new democratic party i.e. the PTI, the ruling party tried
to deny the voters their basic right of casting their vote.
The perseverance of people against such rigging was awe inspiring and
showed that Pakistanis' faith in democracy stands renewed and that
positive change via peaceful protests is possible. As a result of their protest
the polling was cancelled for the NA-250 seat and the voters will be allowed to
cast their votes again!
All of this reminds us of a quote by Victor Hugo:
"When dictatorship is a fact, revolution becomes a right."
Pakistan Zindabad! The first steps on the long path to democratic change have begun!
For the pictures of the protest outside the polling station please click here
For the pictures of the Bahraini uprising please click here
Technical information:
Camera Bodies:
Nikon D300
Nikon D200
Lenses:
Nikon 28-105mm f/3.5-4.5 AF-D
Sigma 24-70mm F2.8 EX DG HSM
Flashes:
Oloong Speedlight SP-680
Minolta
Flash Gun
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