Testimonial by Farhan Virk on Azadi Movement.
About Farhan Khan Virk
I have been born and raised in a PMLN family, ever since birth I have seen my family praising and visiting PMLN leaders in Sialkot, My father was a candidate for PMLN MNA and MPA in 2002 elections and even at this time many members of my family are sitting in parliament as PMLN Representatives! I don’t know about others but my life suddenly changed after Azadi March. I have always liked Khan sahb as a sportsman, but as a politician, due to me being from a PMLN family, It was hard to accept him as a leader! I was a fool, thanks to vicious PMLN propaganda involving hitting Khan sahb’s personal life! And these people can’t even move beyond that. They won’t care about national issues, hitting personal lives and pet dogs, is what they are good at.
When Azadi March began, I started feeling that media is becoming extremely biased - a few channels showing their story and a few showing totally opposite. I thought of going to Azadi March and witnessing the truth myself.
It was my first day at Aabpara Chowk and perhaps my first encounter with a PTI rally. I had never seen women in our PMLN rallies, but here, I could see families having the best time of their life! This really left me perplexed, thinking, this is real politics, our educated society is finally rising for the truth! My mind started shifting from PMLN to PTI side! I used to post live twitter pictures and a large people started following me for my work as a freelance journalist, however things changed one night, on the night of 30th August, when Islamabad Massacre happened.
I had no idea, I’d witness state brutality live, I was a little anti-Govt for Model Town Massacre, but since I was not a witness to it, I had no idea how much humanity has suffered at the hands of PMLN. I reached Azadi Square and It was only a matter of minutes, when I saw teargas shells being fired, bullets being shot. PMLN Govt is such a tyran, not only they were preventing people to move forward to PM House, they even shelled on the way back to stop women and children from saving themselves! It was like a death trap, I could only hear Faisal Javed Khan’s voice, gas was burning our skin and I was almost crying at that site! I also kept sending live updates on twitter to inform people that Govt is killing its own people mercilessly! I turned my Twitter on and found PMLN officials justifying these attacks! My blood began boiling, at that time, I saw Khan Sahb, fighting bravely against PMLN, standing on top of container, facing the worst shelling. At one stage even container was directly shot, but Khan Sahb stood there. I became his fan that time as I thought to myself. If anyone can stand for Pakistan, It has to be this brave man! I conveyed real situation and that soon became viral.
At this Eid, instead of going back home, I wanted to meet my leader, I became an Insafian to the core. There was a long queue, and I had to wait an hour but I finally met Khan Sahb inside the container! He was just like we always imagined, just like we saw him on TV. I told him,’Khan Sahb I have 4th most mentions on twitter after you!’ Khan Sahb started laughing and asked me to leave dynastic politicians behind, which I eventually did . I was proud of that moment and I’ll cherish it all my life!
If It was not for Azadi March, I could have never asked myself - why does son of Zardari become a party Chairman, and not an ordinary party worker who worked for his party throughout his life? Why is daughter of PM Incharge of loans schemes despite having no merit? Is being a son or daughter to a leader, only criteria of being a leader after him? Are we blind followers? At this critical point, I left my family side & started convincing them to join Khan Sahb in his magnificent struggle for Naya Pakistan. I hope I’ll succeed In’Sha’Allah!
Farhan Khan Virk
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Farhan Virk