In Pakistan, history is evident that big receptions are not equivalent to a guaranteed success in elections. Pakistani roads have seen the crowd of millions of people for many movements led by politicians like Bhutto, Noorani, Nawaz Sharif and Benazir.
When in 1986, Benazir came to Pakistan, she got a Brobdingnagian reception of almost one million people in Lahore. But in the nearby next elections, she just got 92 seats in the national assembly, which wasn’t even meet the requirement of making a government. Benazir was very perplexed in those times, and she asked the then ISI chief Hamid Gul, as why was that so that thousands and thousands of people flocked to her meetings and processions, while she lost by elections in tendum. She was really livid at losing the by elections in Gujranwala, though she held mammoth rallies there.
Nawaz Sharif enjoyed two third majority, and he had held extremely large public meetings in Lahore and throughout Punjab, but when he was ousted, nobody even came to bid him goodbye. Before losing general elections to Benazir in mid-90s, he became used to of watching throngs of thousands of people attending his speeches. But that didn’t save him from a thorough defeat.
Now once again history is repeating itself. This time, Benazir once again enjoying a huge crowd of thousands of people on the roads of Karachi. This time, though the reception isn’t that great as of 86, but still its very large. This time, though the supporter of PPPP is not that happy over her notorious deal with Musharraf, but yet they have come to welcome her, but it is yet to be seen that will they vote for her in the general elections?
Only time will tell.
