Fear recedes from the streets

Islamabad: Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N) supporters celebrated with gunfire, fireworks, and sweets here on Monday night as reports emerged of their party's good showing at the hustings.

Rawalpindi echoed to the roar of celebratory gunfire and motorcycles as PML-N activists took to the streets. Overcoming the fear that had kept them from venturing out to vote, people poured into the streets at around midnight.

"This is a silent revolution," said Jehangir Ali, a PML-N supporter. He said the masses had exacted their revenge on those who had sought to attain power with the help of dictators.

Ali said the government had tried its best to rig the polls but had been brought to account for pushing the people into a quagmire of problems.

Khudadost Khan, also a PML-N activist, quipped: "They [PML-Q] invited our sleeping tiger for a fight but now can find no place to hide." The big cat was the election symbol of the PML-N.

The entire Rawalpindi district and its neighbouring Islamabad have emerged as a stronghold of the PML-N with almost all the seats in the provincial and national assemblies being won by the party.

The Pakistan Peoples Party of slain former prime minister Benazir Bhutto won only the lone seat in the district, Gujar Khan.

The law enforcing agencies were still on high alert. More than 25 people had been reported killed and hundreds of others injured in clashes between rival party activists, bomb explosions, and firing incidents across the country.

Celebratory gunfire and dancing in the streets also greeted heavy election losses by the main alliance of Islamist parties in a key province bordering Afghanistan.

After winning control of the North West Frontier Province five years ago, the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal alliance had become the third-largest grouping in the outgoing national parliament, with more than 50 seats.

However, the alliance had won just three seats in unofficial preliminary results announced by state-run television. Residents in the provincial capital Peshawar welcomed the setback for the mullahs with gunfire and street celebrations. Some openly expressed their distaste for the Islamists and called them hypocrites.

In one constituency, up to 4,000 people gathered early to celebrate the victory of Arbab Alamgir Khan from the party of Benazir Bhutto. "Long live Bhutto," they shouted from the backs of pick-up trucks. Gunfire resounded in the air but people could be seen distributing sweets.