There's a sickness in our politics, and its ugliest symptom is the broken promise. It's a disease that erodes trust, kills hope, and leaves entire communities stranded. If you want to see a case study of this sickness in its most advanced stage, look no further than Tillu Road in Sadiqabad.
What has happened there isn't just a case of bureaucratic delay. To me, it’s a story of profound and cynical betrayal. It's a masterclass in how political games are played with the lives of ordinary people. But now, the people are refusing to be pawns any longer. They are changing the rules of the game.
Exhibit A: The Political Football
Let's just examine the timeline of this farce. First, a PTI-led government under CM Pervez Elahi dangles the carrot—construction on Tillu Road begins. Hope arrives. Then, national politics implode, assemblies are dissolved in January 2023, and the project is abandoned overnight. The carrot is snatched away.
Next, a new PML-N MNA, Azher Mehmood Lagari, enters the scene. He picks up the same carrot and dangles it again, this time tying it to his son's election campaign in a local by-election. The message was grotesquely simple: "Vote for my family, get your road."
When the community exercised its democratic right and voted for his opponent, the carrot was once again yanked away. The tender process was halted. This isn't governance. It's emotional blackmail using public infrastructure as the weapon. How can any citizen be expected to trust a system that treats their basic rights as a reward for political obedience?
The Lie at the Heart of the Promise
If the story ended there, it would be bad enough. But the most cynical twist was yet to come. The man at the heart of this fight, the teacher Zaheer Khan Pittafi, did what our leaders failed to do: he sought the truth.
His investigation revealed something devastating. After all the promises, all the political theatre, and all the public statements, the official proposal for Tillu Road had never even been properly filed with the relevant government departments.
Let that sink in. The promises were likely never real to begin with. They were a mirage, a tool to manage public expectation with no intention of follow-through. This, in my opinion, moves beyond mere neglect into the realm of deliberate deception.
The Breaking Point: A New Demand Is Born
This discovery was the final betrayal. It sparked the movement that will take to the streets of Sadiqabad tomorrow, Wednesday, July 23rd. But this is not just a protest born of anger; it's a protest born of hard-earned wisdom.
The people of Sadiqabad have learned a crucial lesson: in a political climate where words are cheap, verbal promises are worthless.
Their demand has now evolved. It is sharp, intelligent, and non-negotiable. It is no longer just "build the road." Today, the demand is:
"Build this road, and give us a legally written agreement. Show us the approved budget, the official timeline Put it on paper."
They are no longer asking for a promise; they are demanding a contract. They are moving from being passive supplicants to active stakeholders who refuse to be fooled again. This shift is everything.
This Is More Than a Road—It's a Reckoning
Tomorrow's 23 july 2025 protest in Sadiqabad is one of the most significant grassroots movements in recent memory, not because of its size, but because of its clarity. It represents a complete breakdown of trust and a community's courageous attempt to rebuild it on their own terms—with ink and paper.
What Zaheer Pittafi and his community are demanding is the very foundation of a functional democracy: accountability. They are holding up a mirror to the political class and showing them the ugly reflection of their own failed promises.
This isn't just Sadiqabad's fight. It's a fight for anyone who has ever been promised a school, a hospital, or clean water, only to be left waiting. The demand for a written agreement is a blueprint for citizens everywhere.
The question now is, will our leaders have the courage to sign it?
Tender Notice for Connecting Road (October 2024)
A tender notice issued by the Punjab Highway Department included a new construction project originating from Tillu Road. The specific details from this notice are:
- Name of Work: Construction of Metalled Road from Tillu Road Towards Chak No.177/P Tehsil Sadiq Abad
- Estimated Cost: PKR 1,85,05,000
- Completion Period: 04-Months
- Tender Opening Date: October 30, 2024
Ongoing Provincial Scheme in Budget Documents
Separately, the Punjab government's budget documents for the 2024-2025 fiscal year list a large-scale, ongoing project in the same vicinity, identified as scheme number 1720:
- Scheme Information: Reconstruction / Rehabilitation / Widening & Improvement of M/R from Tillu Bungalow to Chak No.264/P (Length: 9.50 Km), Tehsil Sadiqabad
- Total Estimated Cost: PKR 808.579 Million
- Expenditure up to June 2024: PKR 112.440 Million
- Budgeted for 2024-2025: PKR 100.000 Million
The Educator and the Activist: A Biography of Zaheer Pittafi
Zaheer Pittafi is a figure who embodies two profound commitments: a lifelong dedication to education and an unwavering resolve to fight for his community's rights. To the public eye in Sadiqabad, he is now known as the powerful voice behind the Tillu Road protest movement. But to truly understand the man leading the charge, one must look at his deep roots in academia and his distinguished career as an educator. He is not just an accidental activist; he is a respected intellectual whose journey has led him from the university laboratory to the front lines of a fight for justice.
Born and raised in Sadiqabad, Punjab, his journey began in the local schools of his hometown. He attended Model High School Sadiq Abad, where he started his secondary education in 2002 and successfully graduated with a Matriculation in Science in 2004. His ambition and aptitude for the sciences led him to pursue higher education at one of Pakistan's most prestigious institutions, the University of Agriculture Faisalabad (UAF). He enrolled in 2007, embarking on a rigorous academic path that would form the bedrock of his professional expertise. Over seven years at UAF, he completed his FSc (Pre-medical) and a B.Sc (Hons.), culminating in a Master of Philosophy (M.Phil) in Biology and Biotechnology. He graduated in 2014, equipped with an advanced degree and a deep understanding of the biological sciences.
With his strong academic credentials, Zaheer Pittafi dedicated his career to teaching, becoming a well-regarded Biology teacher. He honed his skills and built his reputation at some of Sadiqabad's most prominent educational institutions, including the Punjab Group of Colleges (PGC) Sadiqabad and Aspire College. His experience at these well-known colleges highlights his capability and commitment to providing quality education. Currently, he holds the senior position of Director/Principal at Islamia School & College 173P, a role he assumed on April 1, 2024. His leadership at a school designated by a "Chak" number (173P) signifies a deep commitment to serving the educational needs of the very rural and local communities that are now at the heart of his activism.
While deeply immersed in his educational career, Zaheer Pittafi could not ignore the daily struggles of his community, students, and their families. The dilapidated state of Tillu Road—a project mired in political games and broken promises—was more than an inconvenience; it was a barrier to education, healthcare, and economic survival. This direct, daily observation of his community's suffering was the turning point. The respected educator and school principal made a conscious decision to step out from the comfort of his office and become a public advocate. He chose to sacrifice his personal peace to become the voice for those who felt ignored, leading the investigation that uncovered the ultimate betrayal: the fact that the road's paperwork had never even been officially filed.
This discovery fueled his resolve, transforming him into the leader of a powerful grassroots movement, culminating in the announcement of the grand protest in Sadiqabad scheduled for tomorrow, July 23, 2025. In Zaheer Pittafi, the people of Sadiqabad have found more than just a leader. They have found a credible, educated, and deeply committed advocate who applies the same principles of truth and diligence from his academic life to his fight for their civil rights. He is a testament to the idea that true leadership often comes from those most deeply invested in the future of their community.
The Lifeline Called Tillu Road
Tillu Road is far more than just a name on a forgotten government file; for thousands, it is the economic and social lifeline connecting their existence to the wider world. This critical artery stretches for nearly 20 kilometers, weaving through a tapestry of agricultural life. It is the main path that links bustling villages like Chak 157-P and Chak 160-P to the markets and facilities in Sadiqabad. Along its broken, dusty surface lies the regional Government Boys High School, where students' daily attendance is a gamble against the weather. A short distance away sits a small Rural Health Clinic (RHC), a place where critical minutes are lost during medical emergencies simply because ambulances cannot safely navigate the muddy track.
Crucially, this road is the backbone of the local industry.The Shafiq Cotton Factory lesee Ali Sons, Khawaja Muzafar Mehmood M.Masood Cotton Gin and the, A.S. Cotton Ginners Lesee Mehran Cotton Factory rely on it to bring in raw materials from the farms and ship out processed goods. The failure of this single road isn't just an inconvenience; it's a direct and crippling blow to the region's agricultural economy, impacting everyone from the smallest farmer to the largest industrial employer.