Dharna Culture in Islamabad

Illustration by Momina Latif

Contents
• Dharna Definition & Timeline
• Impact on Urban Life
• Transport
• Damage of Infrastructure
• Attraction of Public Gathering
• Economic Growth
• Business Activities
• Political Instability
• Foreign Relations
Timeline of Dharna culture
• The term was first used in 1958 by
Abdul Qayyum Khan against the Prime
Minister Feroze Khan's administration
to remove his President Iskander Mirza.

• Later on these strategies were adopted

by numerous politicians to fulfill there
demands.
• Since then dharna culture has become
the trend of Pakistani Politics.
Dharma's take away capital's charm" because, while such rallies are a
democratic right, the protesters left behind a trail of garbage and made the
local inhabitants' life abnormal- ("Daily Times", 2019)
 Impact on Urban Life

Traffic Jams

• Commuters in the twin cities have had to search for alternate routes to reach their
destinations and often have had to bear hours-long traffic jams.
 Impact on Urban Life

• Most affected by the ongoing sit-in are students and Employees, for whom
commutes to their educational institutes now take hours instead of minutes.
Islamabad Master Plan

If the main arteries (Kashmir Highway, Expressway, IJP road, Murree Rd) are blocked due to protest the entire city
locks down.

Maps by Google Earth

With groups of people jamming the roads for hours, ‘dharna’ today has almost become a culture
in Pakistan. Though everyone has a right to voice their concerns but they should not make life
miserable for others. Blocking busy roads and highways for a number of hours disrupts the traffic
and results in a number of problems for people at large. Even if the protesting parties reserve a
place for these ‘dharna’, it disturbs mental peace and tranquility
Political history of Pakistan is full of sit-in culture and long marches. We have witnessed this
almost in every government. They change the political landscape of country and enforce the
phenomenon that sit-ins have some ultimate value and can attain set political objectives.
Most affected by the ongoing sit-in are students of various schools and colleges, for whom
commutes to their educational institutes now take hours instead of minutes. Commuters in the
twin cities have had to search for alternate routes to reach their destinations and often have
had to bear hours-long traffic jams.
 Damage to public property by opposition
supporters estimated at Rs150 million

Protests are democratic. However, when the protesters refuse to adhere to the writ of the state,
when they put the security and livelihood of hundreds of thousands of citizens in jeopardy, when
they attack public installations and damage public and private property, then there is a serious
problem that can possibly not be overlooked.
Blockages in the Capital
City
Impact on local population

("TODAY’S CARTOON - Daily Times", 2019)

Economic Growth

Jang Cartoon Picture submitted by hamza

Business Activities
Political Instability
Foreign Relations
Accountability

("TODAY’S CARTOON - Daily Times", 2019)