Trade Unionists arrested in Pakistan

[Bilan]

Written by PTUDC

Tuesday, 06 November 2007
The Musharraf regime is brutally attacking lawyers and political activists to curb any voice against the declaration of emergency. In this situation a major attack has been made on the PTUDC (Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign) when the younger brother of Comrade Manzoor Ahmed (Member National Assembly & President of the PTUDC) Chaudhary Munir Ahmed was arrested. Due to the suspension of the constitution and basic human rights no complaint can be filed anywhere and protests of all kinds are also banned.

Munir Ahmed is the president of the Kasur District Bar Association (Lawyers' Association) and he is also a member of the PTUDC. His arrest is part of an attack on the cause of the working class of Pakistan.

The following have also been arrested:

Aitzaz Ahsan, Member National Assembly and President of the Supreme Court Bar Association (Lawyers' Association);
Ahsan Bhoon, President Lahore High Court Bar Association (Lawyers' Association);
Liaqat Sahi, General Secretary (CBA) State Bank of Pakistan and PTUDC;
Farid Awan, Famous labour leader of Karachi and PTUDC
Comrade Irshad Shar, Executive Member Malir District Bar Association (Karachi) and the Office Bearer of People's Lawyers Forum ( Lawyers' wing of the PPP) and PTUDC.

We appeal to all comrades and lawyers in all countries to send solidarity messages for these lawyers who are leading the lawyers and activists against the Musharraf regime and the dictatorial rule of the Army.

Send solidarity messages directly to:
Chaudhary Munir: munir_kasurbar[at]hotmail.com
Aitzaz Ahsan: aitzaz_ahsan[at]hotmail.com
Ahsan Bhoon: saqi.clc[at]gmail.com

source and more info. (http://www.ptudc.org/content/view/127/1/)

[Lenin II]

This just goes to show, once again, that all bourgeoisie states are the same. Whether white or arab, whether secular or theocratic, whether Western or Middle Eastern, all have the same characteristics. The only difference is the attitude and severity with which those characteristics are applied.

[Luís Henrique]

Originally posted by Lenin [email protected] 10, 2007 02:32 am
Whether white or arab
The strangest disjunctive I have ever read...

Luís Henrique

[Spirit of Spartacus]

Originally posted by Lenin [email protected] 10, 2007 02:32 am
This just goes to show, once again, that all bourgeoisie states are the same. Whether white or arab, whether secular or theocratic, whether Western or Middle Eastern, all have the same characteristics. The only difference is the attitude and severity with which those characteristics are applied.
Ummm...nope.

Some bourgeois-ruled states are at the core of the capitalist world-system, others are at the periphery.

They cannot all be analysed by painting them with one brush.

[PigmerikanMao]

Originally posted by Spirit of Spartacus+--> (Spirit of Spartacus)
Originally posted by Lenin [email protected]
This just goes to show, once again, that all bourgeoisie states are the same. Whether white or arab, whether secular or theocratic, whether Western or Middle Eastern, all have the same characteristics. The only difference is the attitude and severity with which those characteristics are applied.
Ummm...nope.

Some bourgeois-ruled states are at the core of the capitalist world-system, others are at the periphery.

They cannot all be analysed by painting them with one brush. [/b]
Bourgeoisie are bourgeoisie- they have the same motive, to exploit the proletariat, and should be treated as bourgeoisie should be treated- all of them.


Luís Henrique
Luís Henrique
Why do you always sign your name on message board posts? They know it's you- your name is on the side of the page.

[Louis Pio]

Here's some more on the repression in Pakistan
Pakistan - Comrade Jam Saqi’s House raided: He vows to carry on the struggle against the dictatorship for revolutionary socialism!
Comrade Jam Saqi's house raided. He vows to carry on the struggle against the dictatorship for revolutionary socialism (http://www.marxist.com/jam-shaqi-house-raided.htm)

Pakistan - Comrade Jam Saqi’s House raided: He vows to carry on the struggle against the dictatorship for revolutionary socialism!
By In Defence of Marxism
Monday, 12 November 2007
In the early hours of November 11 the police raided the house of comrade Jam Saqi in Hyderabad. Jam is one of the most famous names on Pakistani left. He was the General Secretary of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) until 1991.
He was imprisoned by various regimes for more than 15 years in his political struggle. The longest term he served was 10 years of rigorous imprisonment under the ruthless 11-year dictatorship of the fundamentalist, Genreal Zia ul Haq. On November 7, 2007 he presided over the mass meeting held to commemorate the 90th anniversary of the Russian revolution at Pakistan Steel Mills. In this meeting workers from the steel mills, port qasim, KESC (Karachi Electric Supply Corporation), a machine tool factory, PIA (Pakistan International Airlines) and other departments participated along with many unemployed youth.

This meeting was organized by the PTUDC, of which Jam Saqi is on the national leadership. He is also a revolutionary leader of the left in the PPP. The Steel Mill workers are one of the most militant sections of the Pakistani proletariat. The PTUDC has been mobilizing a campaign to stop the privatization of the Karachi steel mills, the largest industrial unit in Pakistan. The imposition of a state of emergency and enhanced repression was also meant to break the resistance of the workers against privatization and other recipes of the Imperialist institutions. Jam Saqi was a major inspiration for this movement and was playing a vital role in bringing this struggle onto the political arena.

Earlier a strike by the engineers of PIA was one of the main reasons for imposing a state of emergency and use theses brutal measures to attack the workers. Now the movement in the steel mills and other departments is picking up. The attack on Comrade Jam Saqi shows the threat that the state feels from the labor movement in Pakistan.
People who have spoken to Jam say that he has vowed to carry on the struggle and fight to the finish for a socialist victory. He is not in good health due to the repression he has faced all his life but he has said that as the resistance heats up his morale and his body are ready for the fight.

Please send messages of solidarity and support to the PTUDC (info [at] ptudc.org).



You can read an interview with Jam Saqi from earlier in the year here .

[chebol]

*APOLOGIES FOR CROSS POSTING*
Dear friends,

You would be aware of the crack down in Pakistan by US ally General Pervez Musharraf.

In the latest news, a trade unionist faces the death penalty on a treason charge. Below is an article from Asian Foodworker on this disturbing development.

Underneath is a solidarity statement with the democratic forces in Pakistan. Please sign and forward on.

++++++++++
Pakistan: Trade Unionist Faces Death Penalty on Treason Charge; Military Readies Sham Courts to Rubber-Stamp Dictatorship and Quell Democratic Dissent

In a series of disturbing incidents, following the imposition of emergency rule, Pakistan's military rulers are seeking to quell all democratic dissent by giving the army wide ranging powers to bring people before military courts and threatening the death penalty against activists. Liaquat Ali Shah, one of the leaders of the solidarity campaign for the Karachi Pearl Continental Hotel Trade Union, and a trade union leader in his own right at the State Bank of Pakistan, has been charged with treason, an offence which carries the death penalty.
http://asianfoodworker.net/pakistan/071112dictatorship.html



Appeal for solidarity with Pakistani people

We, the undersigned, in solidarity with the people of Pakistan who are once again facing severe repression under Emergency Rule imposed yet again on November 2, 2007 by the military regime of President General Pervez Musharraf, call for:

1) Immediate lifting of the State of Emergency and the censorship and curbs on media and communication which have been imposed under the Emergency Law.

2) Immediate release of all the judges, lawyers, human rights activists, political and civil society activists and leaders who have been arrested since November 2, 2007.

3) The immediate release of Iftikhar Hussain Chaudhry and his restoration to his rightful position as Chief Justice of Pakistan, and an end to the intimidation and manipulation of the judiciary by the Musharraf regime.

4) Free and fair elections and an end to involvement of the armed forces in Pakistan politics.

We stand together with the brave activists resisting this new wave of repression and call upon the Australian government to immediately recall its High Commissioner in protest, terminate all Australian support and cooperation with the Musharraf government.

We urge all supporters of democracy to:

1. Add your name to this statement by emailing [email protected]

2. Donate material support to the brave activists in the Labor Party Pakistan via the Peoples Power Fighting Fund: Commonwealth Bank Branch number: 062026. Account number: 1006 0743.

3. Support the PROTEST at 12noon on Thursday November 15 the Old GPO, corner Bourke St Mall & Elizabeth Street, Melbourne

STATEMENT SIGNED BY:

Rob Stary (civil liberties lawyer); Ray Gorman (CEPU-postal Victorian branch organizer); Tim Gooden (Geelong Trades Hall secretary); Peter Boyle (Democratic Socialist Party national secretary); Gary Harper; Len Cooper (CEPU Victorian secretary); Chris Spindler (AMWU organizer); Rachel Evans (Parramatta Sydney Socialist Alliance candidate & community Action against Homophobia secretary); Andrew J Silvera (UK); Sue Bolton (DSP assistant national secretary); Scott Wilson (ETU Qld organizer); Will Anderson; Ray Fulcher; Linda Waldron; Eva Cheng (Green Left Weekly journalist); John Percy (DSP national president); Jonathan Stauss; Joseph Bryan; Muhammad Qamarullah; Margarita Windisch (Victorian Senate candidate for Socialist Alliance); Martin Smith(lawyer); Ali Khan (film maker/businessman) ; Imran Bashir; Ali Shafique; Martin Smith (lawyer); Niels Dalgaard (member Red Green Alliance, Denmark); Umair Yousaf; Matthew Price (CPSU delegate); Paula Owen; Beatrice Bleile; Pat Donohoe (NSWTF state council); Kashif Bouns; Graham Williams (AMWU organizer); Abid Satti; Adeel; Akif; Ali; Ali; Ali Anjum; Ali Hamza; Ali Hasnain Sayed; Ali Kayani; Ali Naveed; Ali Saffique; Amir Abbasi; Ammar Raza; Asad Zaman; Asim Siddique; Aslam Waqas; Awais; Awais Massood; Awais Niazi; Ayaz Ashraf; Aziz-Ud-Din; Burhan Ali; Ch Irfan; Fahad Iqbal Khan; Fahad Khan; Fahad Rauf; Faisal; Faisal Rana; Faran Qaiser; Fayyaz Shah; Furqan Mahmud; Ghulam Abbas; Hamid; Hasham; Hassan; Hummad Khokhar; Imran Bashir; Imran Khokhar; Imran Rana; Jhanzaib; Jibran Salahuddin; K Malik; Kamran Arshad; Kashif Baig; Kazim; Khalid; Khoulb Dogar; M Murad; M Saleem; Muazam Hussein; Muhamad Ali Jehanya, Muqarrab Khan; Nadeem; Obaid Anwar; Qadeer Ahmed; Qasim; Raja Waqas Javed; Rehman Ali Virk; Saad Ali Khan; Sajid Mahmood; Salman; Salman Asad; Salman Yousaf; Sammy Siddiqui; Saqib Rana; Sarfraz Ahmad; Shafqat Laroka; Shahid Illyas; Shahid Iqbal; Shami; Shoaib Khan; Shoaib Khan (cricketer); Sohail Chowdary; Sultan; Suraqa Bin Zaheer; Syed Ahsan Kazmi; Syed Asad Ali Taqyi; Syed M Naqvi; Syed Mousin Ali Shah; Syed Mujahid; Syed Sharukh Abbas; Syed Tahir; Talha; Talha Bin Aman; Umair Ahmad; Umair Yousaf; Uszman; Yasir Rashid; Zahid Manzoor; Zeeshan Ahmed; Zubair Khan; Pip Hinman; Duroyan Fertl (NSW Socialist Alliance Convenor)

For more information contact Sue Bolton (Melbourne) 0413-377-978; Peter Boyle (Sydney) 0401-760-577; Paul Benedek (Brisbane) 0410-629-088

[chebol]

PAKISTAN:More raids on Labour Party Pakistan activists, Left wing leaders still in jail - Day ten of underground life

by Farooq Tariq

Lahore police is very busy raiding the homes of several LPP activists during the last three days. The home of Afzal Soaraya, secretary Labour Party Punjab has been raided several times during the last three days. Maqsood Mujahid, member National Committee LPP, home in Lahore has also been the target of regular visits by the local police. They have also stopped the vehicle of Farooq Tariq several times while dropping his children to school.

Nisar Shah Advocate chairperson Labour Party Pakistan is been charged with Anti Terrorist Act and several others charges. He is at present in Adiala Jail Rawalpindi along with other political prisoners.

Yousaf Masti Khan senior vice president of National Workers Party and member central committee Awami Jamhoori Tehreek, the left wing alliance of seven political parties and groups, along with Hasil Bazinjo secretary National Party and several other trade union leaders are kept in Karachi jail. They are facing treason charges. They all were arrested from Karachi Press Club after a demonstration of left wing and trade union activists.

Asma Jahnghir chairperson Human Rights Commission of Pakistan is still under house detention at her Lahore residence. I got a message from her “ok will pass this on. Keep underground. No bail this time”. I had informed her about the arrest of Nisar Shah. She represented me as an advocate at Lahore Anti Terrorist Court on 28th September 2007 and got me released on bail. Now releasing on bail has become much more difficult.

It is estimated that over 5000 political activist and advocates are behind bar on 13th November, 10 days after the emergency was imposed. Lahore seems a deserted city and many ordinary people are totally against the actions of the military regime. I was told by some friends who were in the markets that there is very thin business activity and many shopkeepers were saying that it is time the Musharaf must die, “there is no other alternative to get rid of him” most were saying with most seriousness.

I visited yesterday on 12th November, my home town, Toba Tek Singh. I was told that you find no one in sympathy with the military regime. It seems that everyone is against the military action. Many told me that they have all the respect for judges who have not taken oath. I could not walk freely but I met some friends and family members.

LPP is planning that I contest elections for the national parliament from this town. I feel that it is useless activity to take part in elections under an emergency, which is in fact a martial law. The general elections have been announced by General Musharaf on 11th November to pacify the international criticism of his dictatorial measures. It is joke that general elections will take place while all the opposition’s parties are in underground or their activists in jail. It is joke to hold elections in the presence of the judges who have taken an oath in faithfulness of the military regime.

General Musharaf has asked his crony Election Commission to prepare for election before 8th of January 2008. They want to hold general elections at a time with utmost repression going on. The plan is very simple, “Opposition behind bar and government candidate with full freedom for election campaign”. This is mockery o whole democratic process.

Labour Party Pakistan has not yet taken a formal decision to boycott the proposed general elections but we are in consultation with other Left groups and parties to have a common position on the question. We are holding an emergency meeting of leading comrades in Lahore today on 13th November and in consultation with others on telephone before we take a formal decision.

General Musharaf seems more isolated after an all out attack by Benazir Bhutto while in Lahore yesterday. She is been put under house arrest as well in LAHORE from yesterday. She went around the city to mobilize the party activists and was determined to take out a rally today on 13th November. But hundreds of police men have been deployed around her residence, telephone lines cut off and she refused to receive a detention order for eight days. The detention order is now been pasted at her homes wall. They want to show the world that they act according the procedures but what about thousands who have been arrested without showing any warrants or detention orders? There are still hundreds behind bars who have not yet been formally charged.

Benazir changing political position in favor of democratic forces is a welcome sign. I do not agree with Imran Khan President of Tehreek Insaaf (justice movement) who is still doubtful of Benazir intentions of opposing the military regime. He will ultimately come to the conclusion that the democratic forces have to unite on one platform to launch a more effective struggle against the military dictator.

Some trade union leaders have issued press releases opposing the emergency of General Musaraf. They include Khurshid Ahmad, president Pakistan Workers Confederation; Yousaf Baluch, chairman National Trade Union Federation, Choudry Gulzar Ahmad, secretary All Pakistan Trade Union Federation and so on. But workers from different sectors have not yet come out in demonstrations opposing the military regime. Although, there is great anger among the working class against the military regime in Pakistan.

I have learnt to some extent in underground. I have not made any blunder that could give a chance to the state oppressive machinery to arrest me. I am not staying more than a night at a friend’s house anymore. I am changing my positions now and then. I have taken a new name to speak to the comrades.

On 11th November night, I had a chance meeting with Lal Khan, the leader of Ted Grant Alan Woods’s group in Pakistan. We had worked together in exile and started our Struggle Group together in Netherlands during my exile period from 1978 to 1986 in Netherlands. In 1991, we had departed our ways on the question of strategy of building a revolutionary party in Pakistan. His supporter was arguing to remain in Pakistan Peoples Party and do enterism to build the group. I was in minority and argued for a new independent political party to set up in Pakistan. It was an unpleasant split in our group that was very committed. But we had to face the realities. They are still part of PPP and we have started building Labour Party Pakistan.

I met him in person after 16 years. His hairs have grown grey and were not in his usual youthfulness. We had a good but brief chat on the present political situation. He was of the view that the regime is very shaky and anything can happen. He recited one of my favorite poems that we used to listen from him in exile period (Peshawar Qatloo Tum Sapahi Naheen) (Of you the soldiers, you are not professional soldiers but professional killers). He seemed happy to see me. And I was also, although, we have a lot of difference of opinion on several questions. We had no moment to regret on the evening. One of my close friends had invited me for this evening at a safe place to share ideas with some friends.

On 12th November, I wrote an article for our Weekly paper Mazdoor Jeddojuhd (Workers Struggle) and faxed them to the office. The paper is still been printed regularly and with our ideas and reports. It has been closed by every successive military regime since it started it printing in 1980 including the present Musharaf regime. The very young activists mainly women have taken the responsibility to prepare the paper in the regular office of the paper. Very brave actions by these young women activists.

After writing the article in early morning, I had to travel four hours from Lahore to go to my home town. It was my father second death anniversary and family was all together. I was not asked by my brothers and sisters to come but I decided to travel and saw all the family members. They are all supportive and helpful. I traveled back to Lahore last night to attend an important meeting today and share some ideas with some comrades. Staying in a small city is quit dangerous and many know me well personally in my home town, so decided to leave the city as soon as possible.

Farooq Tariq
General Secretary Labour Party Pakistan

[chebol]

More updates:

PAKISTAN:More raids on Labour Party Pakistan activists, Left wing leaders still in jail Day ten of underground life (http://leftclickblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/pakistanmore-raids-on-labour-party.html)

Run For your Life --11th day underground (http://leftclickblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/run-for-your-life-11th-day-underground.html)

Imran Khan and the fascist tactics of religious fundamentalists in Pakistan, by Farooq Tariq (http://leftclickblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/imran-khan-and-fascist-tactics-of.html)

and

Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) Karachi Units organized a protest against on going military dictatorship curbing to democracy and socialize of society and open field for extremists and terrorist who are enjoying the so called democratic and they are politicized the society on behalf of ethnicity and lingual bases.
So today dated 14th of November 2007 exact time 4:00p.m. Organized a demo/protest against MARTIAL LAW of Fouji Badamaash, Musaraf Regimes.
So LPP successful to organized a protest to aware mass about MARTIAL LAW in working class area, rasheedabad where all around and totally Industrial area. When demo was stated at least hundreds mass gathering. So in demo workers of factories, street wanders students, trade Union activists and other society members of Karachi and surroundings. So LPP invite all democratic left parties but so where meetings of civil society and some where hunger strikes so they can not access to demo. So CMKP and other left organizations show their solidarity with PP comrades..
After theses linage of demos and protest we have to organized mass mobilized protest in Karachi openly.

Long Live Socialism
Long Live Democracy
Long Live Struggle

Comradely

S B Khan
Progressive Youth Front (PYF)
Sindh Chapter.Pakistan
www.geocities. com/pyfpk
www.jeddojuhd. com
www.laborpakistan. org

Cell-0092-333- 3280945
[email protected] hotmail.com

[Louis Pio]

The marxist MP Manzoor Ahmed has now been arrested
URGENT: Comrade Manzoor arrested! (http://www.marxist.com/manzoor-arrested-161107.htm)

URGENT: Comrade Manzoor arrested!

Comrade Manzoor was arrested today in Gujranwala, a city 60 km north of Lahore. He was leading the Long March from Lahore to Islamabad which started on November 13 from Lahore to Kasur and Okara.

In the second leg of the long march they reached Faislabad and then Sheikhupura. Yesterday they moved from Sheikhupura to Gujranwala.

Today they were gathering at the old railway station in Gujranwala to move on towards Gujrat leading thousands of people including PPP workers, youth and masses.

However, the police and intelligence agencies followed comrade Manzoor closely but due to the roaring thunder of the workers against them comrade Manzoor could not be arrested.

This time the police attacked heavily on the workers and used brutal measures to disperse the rally. The workers valiantly fought back against the police but the police was able to get hold of Comrade Manzoor along with other local leaders in Gujranwala.

Now Comrade Manzoor is in police custody at the Model Town Police Station in Gujranwala along with hundreds of other workers and party activists.

We appeal to all workers and labour organisations to send messages of protest to their local embassies. Telephone calls should be made to embassies and consulates in order to put the necessary urgent pressure on the regime to secure Manzoor's release. You can find information on the Pakistani embassies and consulates in your country here. Send messages of support and solidarity to info [at] ptudc.org.

[Louis Pio]

Immediately upon being informed of Manzoor’s arrest we rang the comrades in Lahore. Whether through the inefficiency of the police, or because they were overwhelmed by the large number of arrests, they forgot to confiscate Manzoor’s mobile phone. Comrade Alan Woods was therefore able to speak to him in his cell, from which he delivered an inspiring message for the workers of the world, which we publish here.

Manzoor Ahmed’s message from a police cell - To the workers of the world (http://www.marxist.com/manzoor-message-from-prison.htm)

Manzoor Ahmed’s message from a police cell - To the workers of the world
Comrades!

I am speaking to you from a police cell in Gujarat, the fifth largest city in Pakistan, where I was arrested this morning, together with 150 of my comrades, for the crime of protesting against the dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf. We were leading a mass demonstration of thousands of ordinary people, poor people who support the PPP and oppose the dictatorship.

Yesterday our parliament (the National Assembly) was dissolved after five years. For this period I have fought as a member of parliament for the rights of working people. I have fought in parliament, in the factories, in the streets and in the villages. I have fought against reactionary labour laws, against unemployment, against poverty and injustice.

We have had important victories. We defeated the attempt to privatise Pakistan Steel. But the real struggle begins now: my struggle together with the masses to end this injustice. We know that our struggle is supported by our friends and comrades in other countries and this gives us strength to continue despite all obstacles.

Comrades, those who doubted our perspectives for the rebirth of the People’s Party have been proved wrong. The sectarian parties and groups have been liquidated overnight, wiped out by the movement of the masses. Now nobody can doubt that the whole movement will proceed through the PPP. These arrests will not deter us. The struggle will go on. We will continue to fight for the revolution, for socialism.

To the working people of all countries who are supporting us I have only this message. We are fighting against dictatorship and martial law, for democratic rights. But my struggle is not only against dictatorship. It is also against the system that spawns dictatorship: capitalism and feudalism. And my struggle will not end until this unjust and oppressive system is finally overthrown.

As long as there is still hunger, unemployment and homelessness our struggle cannot end. It will never end until there is socialism in Pakistan and all over the world.

Please send my greetings to all the comrades of the International. Send my greetings to all my friends and comrades and to all the workers of the world.

Victory to the masses!

Victory to the working class!

Together we can win!

Zindabad!

Manzoor Ahmed,

In Model Town Police Station in Gujranwala, Pakistan

November 16, 2007

We appeal to all workers and labour organisations to send messages of protest to their local embassies. Telephone calls should be made to embassies and consulates in order to put the necessary urgent pressure on the regime to secure Manzoor's release. You can find information on the Pakistani embassies and consulates in your country here. Send messages of support and solidarity to info [at] ptudc.org.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

Firstly, I would like to take this opportunity to express my total solidarity with Comrade Manzoor Ahmed and others arrested by the regime.

In these dark times of repression, we must all stand together in a united opposition against the pro-imperialist Musharraf regime.

Having said that, I must disagree completely with the following statement by Comrade Manzoor Ahmed:



Comrades, those who doubted our perspectives for the rebirth of the People’s Party have been proved wrong. The sectarian parties and groups have been liquidated overnight, wiped out by the movement of the masses. Now nobody can doubt that the whole movement will proceed through the PPP. These arrests will not deter us. The struggle will go on. We will continue to fight for the revolution, for socialism.

Anyone with even a passing acquaintance with Pakistani politics will tell you that the PPP is not a revolutionary party in any sense of the word. Yes, it is a mass party, and it has deep roots among the urban working-class as well as large numbers of rural peasants.

But its agenda is a liberal bourgeois one at best. While its struggle against the predatory pro-imperialist military has been an important one, it remains a party of the national bourgeoisie, not of the workers and peasants.

The working-class and peasantry of Pakistan will have to be organized in a Marxist-Leninist vanguard party, if a socialist revolution is to take place.

The PPP, whose leaders (as represented by Benazir Bhutto) are bourgeois democrats, can never be consistent in advancing the demands of the Pakistani working people.

The workers and peasants of Pakistan have not yet joined the democratic movement in vast numbers, despite the PPP influence among them.
Why?

Because they know that the ultimate agenda of the PPP is not a revolutionary socialist one, but a liberal bourgeois one. The workers and peasants of Pakistan today are looking for a revolutionary vanguard, a party of their own, to advance their cause.

***

But in any case, the repressive actions of the military regime must be countered with unfailing resistance.

Solidarity with the imprisoned comrade...

[Louis Pio]

I think it's a question of perspectives.
You on the one hand says: "there is no revolutionary party, therefore we must proclaim it and the masses will eventually join", I think that's well to say the least a bit naive and furthermore doesn't take into account the history of our movement for the past 150 years.
Your quite right about the PPP leaders, but does that mean we should just split off?

I think the welcome Bhutto got shows very well what hopes the masses of pakistan has in her and in the PPP even though of her past records.
Working in the PPP has been shown to be absolutely correct, both by the recent events and by the fact that it has allowed the building of the largest communist group in pakistan.

[chebol]

PAKISTAN - Meeting Benazir Bhutto 14th Day in underground life (http://leftclickblog.blogspot.com/2007/11/pakistan-meeting-benazir-bhutto-14th.html)

by Farooq Tariq

I got a call at 7pm on 16^th November from Asma Jehanghir office, “you must come tonight at 9pm at her place for an important meeting”.Chairperson of the most prestigious social institution Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP), Asma Jehanghir was just released a day earlier from her house detention. I had many second thoughts of going their. “Police must be there and so on”. But, then decided to go in any case. I knew that it is something very important that is why only two hours earlier I have been contacted.

While at Asma residence, a constable stopped me and asked why you have come. If I would have come in a car, he might not ask that question. But I was on a motorbike with my helmet on. I told him to open the gate and I am invited by Asma to come here. He reluctantly opened the gate.

Inside, there were all the sign of an important meeting. Private guard, HRCP staff and others were there to check who have come. I was immediately told by Nadeem Anthony, the public relation officer of Asma that Benazir Bhutto is coming for meeting the civil society activists.

Inside the meeting room, there were several of close friends. Dr. Mehdi Hasan, a radical professor at a private university, he was instrumental in Farooq Sulehria radical shaping, Rabia Bajwa, the women advocate who has made headlines with her commitment to the advocate movement, My colleague and teacher in journalism from the seventies, Hussain Naqi, Fareda Shaheed, Gulnar and Mumtaz Khawar of Shirkat Ghah, a radical women NGO, Neelum Hussain from Seemorg, another women NGO, Journalist Abbas Rashid, Imtiaz Alam of South Asia Freem Medi Association (SAFMA), Samina Rehman and Rashid Rehman, aunt and father of Timur Reham of Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party (CMKP) Afrasayb Khatak of Awami National Party, leaders of Punjab Union of Journalist and several more were there.

Before Benazir Bhottu arrival, we were seated by Asma choice and I was among those sitting in the front row of 12.

Asma distributed a letter that was to be handed over to Benazir Bhutto titled “road map for democratic transition”. There was some discussion on the letter anf following 9 point agenda was approved

1- A democratic transition and a free and fair election are not possible under a government headed by General Musharaf in any capacity. He must resign from all offices forthwith along with the caretaker administration put in place by him.

2- The country must retune to constitutional rule for which the immediate lifting of the state of emergency and restoration of fundamental rights is a prerequisite.

3- The judiciary must be restored.

4- All curbs on media must end.

5- All detainees including judges, lawyers, political activists, students and human rights defenders must be released and charges dropped.

6- Amendments made to the 1952 Army Act by Musharaf must be immediately withdrawn.

7- And independent and credible Election Commission must be constituted.

8- The spread of violence by non state actors across the country has to be effectively countered through all possible means within the ambit of the law.

9- And independent commission must be formed to investigate widespread incidents of Disappearances, Torture and Arbitrary detentions during the Musharaf period.



There was some analysis of the present situation as well in the letter. We had some more suggestion on the conditions of the working class and polices of the present regime, but it were explained that we are only focusing the present situation and do not want to present a long letter. The letter was unanimously accepted as letter from the civil society organizations and individuals.

Benazir Bhutto arrived and media wanted a talk earlier than the meeting proceedings could start. She spoke to them briefly. I was meeting her first time after 1998 when a similar but a brief group of civil society organization met her in Islamabad before she went into exile on the question of the Shariat Bill that Nawaz Sharif government wanted to introduce in the parliament. We asked her to lend her support against this bill. It was a good meeting and we had a brief chat between two of us as she recognized me from my days of exile.

Benazir Bhottu was now an aging politician with some white hairs and looked tired. The meeting started with Asma explaining the reasons for this meeting. Benazir Bhutto said she has come here to listen rather to speak and wanted to know the opinion of the civil society. During the brief speech, she emphasized the formation of anew political alliance against the military regime. She also spoke the deferent aspects of the 1973 constitution that has to be reviewed.

Benazir Bhutto told us about her contacts with different political parties’ heads and her difficulties in forming an immediate alliance. “I have two hours talk with Nawaz Sharif, the former prime minister, yesterday and agreed on many points” she said. She also spoke her commitments to democracy and Pakistan. She referred to her talks with Musharaf and told us that it was for a smooth transition to democracy but Musharaf did not abide by his promises and now there is no question of talks with him.

She read the letter and said that she will come up with detail reply to this but she agrees the most of it. She made a categorical statement in favor of the restoration of judiciary, “they have shown a way forward and we must be with them. We can not leave it to the advocates but we must have a political movement s well” she said.

There was nearly hour and half of questions, contributions and her reactions sessions. It was mainly focused on policies and also on the building of the united movement.

I welcomed her detour and told her that it is very welcome detour. We were all unhappy and critical about your talks with the military regime. But that is over now and we are happy. . She smiled on my “detour” word.

I told her about the sheer corruption under the present military government, plight of the working class and peasantry, the price hike, the land mafia, the Okara struggle of the peasants, the arrests and fight back and need for a broader alliance to fight the regime. I said we do not trust at all the American and we have to build a movement to overthrow this government. I told her some figures of price hike and said the issues of poverty, unemployment and labor conditions have not become your priorities. You have only reached the middle class but working class has to come in the field. They are not in the movement
because there is not much in your program for them.

She heard me patiently and said yes, I agree with you on the points and it is a question of bread and butter that has to be the main issue. There were several others who referred to these points and it was a live discussion.

I left at the last moment of Benazir Bhutto sum up to meet Naheed Khan, her secretary and a former member of parliament, who was outside the meeting hall to take some telephone calls,. We had a brief chat and she was happy to see me again. We had some time together in exile during the early eighties. She invited us for the meeting of political parties on 21^st November in Karachi. I told her that over 200 activists from AJT, the Left alliance, has been arrested and still more to go jail. While I was still talking to Naheed Khan, someone asked her to rush to Benazir Bhutto car as she was already in the car.

The road out side was blocked by all the police vans that were there for security of Benazir Bhutto.

At the meeting, it seemed that most of the participants are reading my underground life stories. Every one I spoke asked me not to be arrested and organize the fight. A lot of references were made towards my great escapes.

Earlier on the day, I went to attend a meeting of Lahore Social Forum but I was late for the meeting and meeting was over. They were surprised to see me there. I met some of them and discussed the present situation.

Several political activists and advocates have been released on bail yesterday but the campaign goes on. More arrests are made and some arrested one are being released on bail. The most pleasant surprise came from the University of Punjab, where for the second day running, thousands of students are demonstrating against the behaviors of Islami Jamiat Tulaba (Islamic Association of Students) linked to Jamat-I_Islami. The IJT leadership kidnapped Imran Khan and then handed over him to police. There is rebellion at the campus after 30 years of religious fundamentalist occupation. We discussed some measure to intervene in this movement.

Labour Party Pakistan (http://www.laborpakistan.org)

[chebol]

Teis wrote:

I think it's a question of perspectives.
You on the one hand says: "there is no revolutionary party, therefore we must proclaim it and the masses will eventually join", I think that's well to say the least a bit naive and furthermore doesn't take into account the history of our movement for the past 150 years.
Your quite right about the PPP leaders, but does that mean we should just split off?

I think the welcome Bhutto got shows very well what hopes the masses of pakistan has in her and in the PPP even though of her past records.
Working in the PPP has been shown to be absolutely correct, both by the recent events and by the fact that it has allowed the building of the largest communist group in pakistan.

It is very much one of perspectives. And now, the correct perspective should be one of working towards the greatest unity of forces -particularly left forces - in Pakistan towards the overthrow of Musharraf.

Not pretentious petty point scoring.

"the largest communist group in pakistan" - has it indeed? And this would be how big?

"The sectarian parties and groups have been liquidated overnight, wiped out by the movement of the masses. Now nobody can doubt that the whole movement will proceed through the PPP."

One would indeed hope that "the sectarian parties and groups" would get wiped out by the masses rising from slumber. But is this any more than a sectarian swipe at anyone not in the PPP? And the "whole movement" is not proceeding "though" the PPP, it is proceeding with the PPP as one part of it.

Comrades in Pakistan at least, as you can see from the post above, are a lot more honest in their struggle, working with each other towards a common cause, rather than counting lentils and scoring points.

[Herman]

My full solidarity to Comrade Manzoor Ahmed.

[Cheung Mo]

Regimes like Musharraf's and the Saud Family's make it easy to see why it would be easy to manipulate those who suffer under them into joining an anti-Washington Islamist militia.

[Louis Pio]

Chebol yes unity in the workers movement against the regime is desiered, that's why I don't understand why a group like Labour Party Pakistan instead of that teamed up with fundamentalists and various rightbourgious parties in some sort of front (forgot it's name), but from your post it seems you think any and all group should be worked with nomatter what basis their opposition to Musharraf has.

One thing is to overthrow the regime, but we all know that don't solve anything fundamentally. What you wanna put instead of Musharraf? Yet another weak "democratic" government solving nothing of the fundamental problems facing the pakistani population? Letting the hunger and despair continue? Of course Bhutto won't solve that problem but if in power she will be under imense pressure from the masses because there is still illusions in here nomatter what she has done before. Especially in that situation a revolutionary current in PPP will play a big role, outside it won't.

I have to admit I have big problems with Labour Party Pakistan, I think CWI was right in kicking them out of their international when they did, back then the party was totally in the pockets of NGO's and their policy with that front is just as bad.

The PPP still is the "traditional" party and as the election of Manzoor Ahmed showed it is a great platform for revolutionary work and getting the idea of socialist revolution out to the people.

Anyway Manzoor has now been released, let's hope the rest of the comrades will be too:
Pakistan: Comrade Manzoor Ahmed released! (http://www.marxist.com/pakistan-manzoor-ahmed-released191107.htm)

Pakistan: Comrade Manzoor Ahmed released!
By In Defence of Marxism
Monday, 19 November 2007


Manzoor (left) setting up a relief camp in Kashmir after the earthquake
At about 2pm Pakistan time (9am UK time) today, Monday, November 19th, comrade Manzoor Ahmed was released from the Central Jail of Gujranwala where he had been detained since last Friday for organising protest demonstrations against Martial Law.

Outside the jail Manzoor was met by hundreds of triumphant supporters who greeted his release with enthusiasm.

Comrade Manzoor is now being brought back to his home state of Kasur in a revolutionary caravan composed of hundreds of his supporters chanting revolutionary slogans. Along the way in every town and village the caravan is being met by crowds of jubilant workers and peasants cheering and shouting their support for the revolutionary Marxist MP.

In a brief statement by phone this afternoon Manzoor expressed his heartfelt thanks to the comrades of the International Marxist Tendency and all his friends and comrades in the international workers' movement for their successful work in securing his speedy release from imprisonment. This shows yet again the power of the international solidarity of the working class, a power which is stronger than any dictatorship in the world.

On behalf of the readers of Marxist.com and all our comrades we send our warmest congratulations to comrade Manzoor and all the comrades of The Struggle and the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign.