At least 34 dead in violence...Karachi (Pakistan)

[Spirit of Spartacus]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6650863.stm

Anti-government movement enters new, violent phase

Troops are patrolling Karachi's streets amid further clashes following a day of major political violence in Pakistan.

At least 34 people died on Saturday in street battles in the city between supporters of the country's president and those of its suspended top judge.

At least one person died on Sunday as rival groups again took to the streets.

President Musharraf suspended judge Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry in March, but he has since become a focus for protesters trying to end military rule.

Karachi police chief Azhar Farooqi described the situation in the city as "very tense".


On Sunday, up to 1,000 protesters were reported to have blocked the main highway with burning tyres and pelted vehicles with stones. At least one person has been killed.

Meanwhile, the casualty toll from Saturday's violence rose overnight to 36 dead and about 150 wounded, many from gunshots, the Associated Press reported.

Read that article for more details.

Furthermore, troops have been deployed today, but violence continues:

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/6650897.stm

And:

http://www.geo.tv/geonews/details.asp?id=5975&param=1



The situation, in my opinion, has reached a point of no return.

Its hard to predict what will happen next. I hope the anti-government alliance can maintain its unity.

If this violence continues, the government will have an excuse to clamp down even harder on the opposition.

[Vargha Poralli]

I had been expecting you to post about this from morning. It is in the headlines of every Newspaper and TV Channels in India both national and regional.

How is the strength of workers movement there ? Is it fully capable of exploiting this situation ? Most of the papers here in opinion column have been fearing Taliban-like takeover in the place of Musharraf ? Does this phobia have any reasons ?

I can understand it though. It is clearly the expression frustration over the Mushrraf regime which is in power fro almost 8 years. Which could clearly be exploited by the Fundamentalists. And Kashmir issue might get a really ugly turn if that happens.

I really hope Pakistani workers and Communist have the ability work to avoid that situation.

Inquilab Zindabad.

edit - Changed Taliban take over to Taliban like takeover.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

@ g.ram



I've also been trying to write about this on my blog. Political activists all over the country are moving towards intensified opposition to the Musharraf regime.

How is the strength of workers movement there ?

Potentially, of course, the workers' movement could be very strong. I mean, the labor unions exist, there are militant working-class activists all over the country, and confronations with the ruling-class have occured repeatedly over the past few years.

The powerful mobilization of workers against the privatization of the Steel Mills and the Telecom sector show that there is indeed immense potential for a working-class movement.

This May Day, we observed more confrontation with the pro-imperialist regime. Here is a picture of a scene near the capital Islamabad, when militant workers clashed with pro-government thugs.

[TMB]http://www.dawn.com/2007/05/02/images/nat02.jpg[/TMB]

The communist movement has remained illegal for most of our history, so it has been able to openly resume its activities only in 1994.

Is it fully capable of exploiting this situation ?

Unfortunately not. More organization, unity and more militancy are needed. They will come with time.

Most of the papers here in opinion column have been fearing Taliban-like takeover in the place of Musharraf ? Does this phobia have any reasons ?

Frankly, much of this speculation is nonsense. There are too many political forces opposing such a take-over. In the major cities like Karachi and Lahore, secular parties dominate.

Even the current violence in Karachi is between mainly secular groups.

The mullahs are a danger, yes, but not as big a danger as the media makes them out to be.
I've written about it here and here.

I can understand it though. It is clearly the expression frustration over the Mushrraf regime which is in power fro almost 8 years. Which could clearly be exploited by the Fundamentalists. And Kashmir issue might get a really ugly turn if that happens.

At the moment, all the opposition groups are making use of the frustration with the Musharraf regime.

I really hope Pakistani workers and Communist have the ability work to avoid that situation.

Inquilab Zindabad.

The communist movement here is not insignificant, but it is still weak and disorganized.

Most communists here agree on the need to join the larger democratic movement, which includes significant anti-imperialist elements.

Simultaneously, efforts are underway to reach out to the labor unions and unite them on a revolutionary platform. It will take time.

A revolution, as we all know, is not some random occurence. We need to build it.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

@ g.ram


I asked some questions about the current situation to a comrade who is a leader in the communist movement and a professor at a major university here.

Here you go: (my questions in bold)

.

1. What are the socio-political pre-requisites for genuine bourgeois democracy in Pakistan?

a) The spread of capitalist relations and the creation of a a bourgeoisie and proletariat. b) Their organization into a class. c) their alliance with other elements opposed to the military establishment (i.e. peasants, national minorities, bonded laborers etc.).

2. Are those pre-requisite social conditions already in place?

The socio-economic conditions are ready. The political conditions are in the process of preparation.

3. Does the bourgeois-democratic revolution require merely an overthrow of the Musharraf clique and its political mercenaries, or does it require something more than that?

It requires an overthrow of the power of the civil-military bureaucracy and its allies and not a mere change in the individual who heads that ruling alliance.

4. Can the current movement be termed a conflict between the national bourgeoisie and the comprador military-and-Qaaf-League nexus, or is it merely a conflict between contending factions among the compradors?

The current movement (lawyers movement) is largely a spontaneous outburst that still has not taken a definite form. It is too early to put it in any of these categories. But the content of its thrust is bourgeois democratic.

5. What is the role of Benazir Bhutto and the PPP in this current struggle, and how will this role evolve in the future? (in your opinion)

The role is relatively positive but there are sign of degeneration, such as Benazir's statement that she is ready to accept Mush if he takes off the uniform.

6. What is the role of the MMA in the current struggle, and how will this role evolve in the future? (in your opinion)

Negative. And it will continue to become more negative.

7. What role will the urban working-class play in such a transition? (we may safely rule out the rural peasantry for the moment)

If the urban workers became part of this movement it will result in a tectonic shift in the balance of class forces in Pakistan.

8. What role can the communists be expected to play in the whole process?

To bring the urban and rural working class into this movement and in the process carve out their distinct socialist program vis a vis the other bourgeois parties.

9. On the whole, is Pakistan moving towards a bourgeois-democratic revolution?

Yes. But it may also move further than that depending on the balance of class forces.

Note:


PPP is the leading party in the opposition to President Musharraf. They can be best described as centre-left.

MMA is another major party in the opposition. It is a coalition of six religious parties.

[Vargha Poralli]

Frankly, much of this speculation is nonsense. There are too many political forces opposing such a take-over. In the major cities like Karachi and Lahore, secular parties dominate.

Even the current violence in Karachi is between mainly secular groups.

I guessed. But this fear mongering by the Indian Media might help Hindu Fundamentalism . That is my biggest worry.

Any way thanks for the information.

Solidarity with Pakistani Comrades.

[sexyguy]

Spirit,

My understanding of this is that President Musharraf and company are getting very nervous about the continuing and growing opposition around this issue and are reinforcing the state by unleashing his civilian supporters as auxiliaries in his civil war manoeuvres.

What would be useful to know is: To what extent, if any, are sections of the working class being drawn into the fighting on the side of the state.

By the way the CNN coverage here has been quite ‘hostile’ to the government. They seem to be signalling that he might not get the ’international’ backing (US/British) for his crass handling of events. This capitalist media ‘hostility’ in itself might encourage the opposition and some ‘liberal’ sections in the army to take over the shop (with covert ‘international’ backing) and head off a deeper revolutionary catastrophe for imperialism generally .

[OneBrickOneVoice]

Yeah on one hand the US would definately like to perpertrate a regime change in Pakistan because Musharraf has been blaimed for the US being unable to accomplish SHIT in afghanistan and Iraq (more distractions from the real horrors that are currently going on).

This is great news, especially if the maoists are as big as I've heard. Someone told me the Pakistani comrades were making preparations for People's War. Urban rebellion would definately aid the struggle

[Spirit of Spartacus]

My understanding of this is that President Musharraf and company are getting very nervous about the continuing and growing opposition around this issue and are reinforcing the state by unleashing his civilian supporters as auxiliaries in his civil war manoeuvres.

That is correct.

What would be useful to know is: To what extent, if any, are sections of the working class being drawn into the fighting on the side of the state.

On the side of the state? No chance!

The situation here is so volatile that it is hard to make predictions, but this I can predict with confidence: the trade unions won't support the government under any circumstances.

In fact, the trade unions have stayed out of the political crisis so far. The communists are directing their efforts towards bringing them into it, on the side of the opposition.


The opposition alliance, the ARD (Alliance for the Restoration of Democracy) has called for nation-wide strikes on Monday. They have clarified that it will not be a general strike, however.

We will see tomorrow what they mean by a "strike". If this call brings workers into the confrontation, the communist movement stands to gain from that.

By the way the CNN coverage here has been quite ‘hostile’ to the government. They seem to be signalling that he might not get the ’international’ backing (US/British) for his crass handling of events.

I am aware of that. I have been watching the BBC coverage too, and reading their news articles, and they are not friendly to the Musharraf regime either.

Clearly, Musharraf's imperial masters are not pleased with the way he played his game.

This capitalist media ‘hostility’ in itself might encourage the opposition and some ‘liberal’ sections in the army to take over the shop (with covert ‘international’ backing) and head off a deeper revolutionary catastrophe for imperialism generally .

That is indeed correct.

There has been a lot of talk of a "deal" between the leading opposition party PPP and the Musharraf regime.
If that were to happen, it would mean the end of this whole movement which we are seeing at the moment.

After the events of Saturday and Sunday, however, its unlikely that such a "deal" would emerge.

Members of the PPP openly fought against the pro-government MQM activists, using lethal force.

The casualties have reached 40 dead and around 200 injured at this moment, and I expect more.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

Statement of Comrade Hassan Nasir regarding the events going on so far...

As all of you can see after the massacre of political
workers in Karachi, Pakistan is passing through
historic times. This is one of those moments that we
read about in history books. A new history is
unfolding before our eyes.

How many times have leftists looked back at 1968 and
thought, if only we were more organized back then, if
only we had focused our energy on the most important
questions of that time. We would could have made the
communist movement into a mass movement at the
national level. But it didn't happen. For various
reasons the left focused elsewhere and lost this
historic opportunity. It was instead taken up by
Bhutto and the PPP.

Today we are witnessing another such moment in
history. Gone are the days when people could say that
Pakistan does not have a political or democratic
culture. Gone are the days when one could say that
there is no will in the Pakistani people to fight
against oppression. Hundreds of thousands have
demonstrated all over Pakistan that they will not
tolerate this military rule. That they yearn for
democracy.

In Karachi the movement for democracy has borne 32
martyrs. The MQM has colluded with the military to
prevent the real voice of the people. But they have
made a very serious error. The tide will turn against
them. All Pakistan has seen that they are nothing but
sniveling toadies of dictatorship who will resort to
open violence in order to prevent the voice of
democracy.

We who are on the margins of mainstream politics and
do not yet have the requisite strength to compete
either with the state or with its lackeys must
nonetheless not be intimidated by their superior
power. We must remember what Mao taught us. In the
final analysis, all reactionaries are paper tigers. In
the immediate sense they are real tigers because they
are stronger than we are. But in the longer view of
history, they are paper tigers. This is because their
power is not based on the desire for the emancipation
of the people.

Without adventurism and without fear we must advance
our political program for a genuine peoples democracy
that includes the elimination of military rule, land
to the tiller, basic industries in the control of
workers, fair and free elections of all political
parties, and most importantly roti, kapra and makan,
health and education for the people.

We must not allow ourselves to waste even a minute in
petty squabbles that have no bearing on this great
historical moment. The revolution requires
concentrated, focused and intense energy. This energy
must not be dissipated or thrown to waste. It must be
nourished and directed against real enemies to win
real victories.

Close your ranks comrades. Come closer together. Work
in closer coordination and with greater unity to widen
and deepen the movement against military dictatorship.
Utilize organs of mass communications including the
mainstream media, and pamphlets, leaflets printed by
the party. Work to carve out a separate socialist
opposition within the general opposition to
dictatorship.

We should pick out and popularize the slogans created
by people that reflect not merely democratic but also
working class aspirations. Aspirations that are not
restricted to elections but include their real needs
for housing, for health care, for education, for
employment, for an end to inflation, for food,
clothing, and shelter. We need to involve the trade
unions and the working class into this movement for
democracy.

If we fail in this historic duty, we will lose a
golden opportunity to build a really powerful left in
Pakistan.

Victory is yours. Take it !!!

In solidarity
Hassan Nasir

(note: Comrade Hassan Nasir is one of our leaders in the Marxist-Leninist movement, and "Hassan Nasir" is his pseudonym.

The real Hassan Nasir was tortured to death by the Pakistani regime decades ago)

[sexyguy]

Great posts comrade. Keep them coming and know that the restless masses and revolutionary workers everywhere will learn much from your struggles.

“Victory is yours.!!!”

[Severian]

Originally posted by Spirit of Spartacus@May 13, 2007 05:39 am
Even the current violence in Karachi is between mainly secular groups.

So who are the major forces on the opposition side? The Pakistani People's Party, I guess - reportedly a fair number of those dead are their supporters. Anyone else?

The media reports I've seen do claim that Islamist parties have been part of the opposition protests in Karachi.

It does look like the Musharraf-Bhutto deal, which had been previously reported as a fact, is still just a possibility.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

So who are the major forces on the opposition side? The Pakistani People's Party, I guess - reportedly a fair number of those dead are their supporters. Anyone else?

Apart from the PPP, we had the ANP (Awami National Party), whose support comes mainly from the ethnic Pashtun people in Karachi and the North West Frontier Province.

The Jamaat-e-Islami, which is part of the MMA religious coalition, was also active in the clashes.

So in Karachi, the opposition comprised the PPP, ANP, MMA and some smaller groups.

The media reports I've seen do claim that Islamist parties have been part of the opposition protests in Karachi.

Certainly, like I said, the Jamaat-e-Islami activists were the first to come under fire from pro-government MQM activists, early in the morning of May the 12th.

It does look like the Musharraf-Bhutto deal, which had been previously reported as a fact, is still just a possibility.

Yes, but I don't really know what one can say about it. I mean, for a while it was presented as a distinct possibility, then as a de facto deal, and now as a distant possibility.

I wonder what Benazir Bhutto is really up to.

[Spirit of Spartacus]

One communist comrade provided me with some excellent first-hand accounts of the violence on Saturday and Sunday.

She works for a major newspaper here, and her un-edited accounts are quite interesting.

I posted them here.

[sexyguy]

Comment I posted on your site.

Officially, 40 dead!

"Speaking of the police and the Pakistan Rangers: ROT, ASSHOLES! ROT!!!"

~
UZi (a young women journalist in Pakistan)
Edit: All should read this moving account of a fascist ‘day of action!


What can we say?
Here is a state organised fascist onslaught on a "democratic" movement while the government's "democratic" imperialist backers do nothing.

Now the government issues orders to "shoot on sight" anyone who responds to this slaughter.

We in Europe and North America in particular must redouble our efforts to expose this foule blood drenched hypocrisy.

Defeat the imperialist warmongers!

[Spirit of Spartacus]

Leftist organizations join in the condemnation of the government and its MQM party goons, despite shoot-on-sight orders given to police and Rangers:

Dear Comrades,

The CMKP marched alongside a contingent of left-leaning organizations and lawyers at the Karachi company. The event was attended by a crowd of approximately 300 people, chanting anti-MQM, anti-GOvernment slogans and calling for an end to this military dictatorship.

CMKP cadres said: "While innocent people were being massacred in Karachi, the Federal government was celebrating its "victory". The Musharraf regime has murdered innocent people, and has turned the "city of lights" into a city of permanent darkness".

The CMKP calls for an end to this brutal regime; an end to this fascist and politically bankrupt state.

We cannot tolerate this anymore comrades. A handful of army generals, capitalists and feudals are robbing and raping this country. Can we stay quiet on this issue? Is cowardice the answer to our problems?

No it is not comrades. We must fight, struggle and overthrow this decadent regime.

Utho meri dunia k ghareebon ko jaga do..
Kaakh-e-umraa k dar-o-deewaar hila do..

Sultaani-e-jamhoor kaa aata hai zamaana..
jo naksh-e-kohan tumko nazar aayay mita do.

We shall be organizing a cultural show and protest march again tommorrow, (Thursday, 17th May, 2007) at apprxomately 6:00 p.m at Karachi company. We will march alongisde hundreds of workers and left leaning organizations.

Inquilab Zindabad!
Musharraf hakoomat Murdabad!

[sexyguy]

Communist workers all over the world are busting to give opinions, advice and support. If you want any of this, ask! ask! talk! talk!

Comrades, we here really don’t know the details, the moods, the strengths etc, but as you already know, you should all be careful to ’keep your powder dry’ . The international does not need any more martyrs.

[Cheung Mo]

Originally posted by Spirit of Spartacus@May 13, 2007 11:53 am
@ g.ram


I asked some questions about the current situation to a comrade who is a leader in the communist movement and a professor at a major university here.

Here you go: (my questions in bold)

.

1. What are the socio-political pre-requisites for genuine bourgeois democracy in Pakistan?

a) The spread of capitalist relations and the creation of a a bourgeoisie and proletariat. b) Their organization into a class. c) their alliance with other elements opposed to the military establishment (i.e. peasants, national minorities, bonded laborers etc.).

2. Are those pre-requisite social conditions already in place?

The socio-economic conditions are ready. The political conditions are in the process of preparation.

3. Does the bourgeois-democratic revolution require merely an overthrow of the Musharraf clique and its political mercenaries, or does it require something more than that?

It requires an overthrow of the power of the civil-military bureaucracy and its allies and not a mere change in the individual who heads that ruling alliance.

4. Can the current movement be termed a conflict between the national bourgeoisie and the comprador military-and-Qaaf-League nexus, or is it merely a conflict between contending factions among the compradors?

The current movement (lawyers movement) is largely a spontaneous outburst that still has not taken a definite form. It is too early to put it in any of these categories. But the content of its thrust is bourgeois democratic.

5. What is the role of Benazir Bhutto and the PPP in this current struggle, and how will this role evolve in the future? (in your opinion)

The role is relatively positive but there are sign of degeneration, such as Benazir's statement that she is ready to accept Mush if he takes off the uniform.

6. What is the role of the MMA in the current struggle, and how will this role evolve in the future? (in your opinion)

Negative. And it will continue to become more negative.

7. What role will the urban working-class play in such a transition? (we may safely rule out the rural peasantry for the moment)

If the urban workers became part of this movement it will result in a tectonic shift in the balance of class forces in Pakistan.

8. What role can the communists be expected to play in the whole process?

To bring the urban and rural working class into this movement and in the process carve out their distinct socialist program vis a vis the other bourgeois parties.

9. On the whole, is Pakistan moving towards a bourgeois-democratic revolution?

Yes. But it may also move further than that depending on the balance of class forces.

Note:


PPP is the leading party in the opposition to President Musharraf. They can be best described as centre-left.

MMA is another major party in the opposition. It is a coalition of six religious parties.

Zulifkar Bhutto has the blood of hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis on his hands (due to acts of genocide he supported with blood money from Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger)...How would his party represent a substantial improvement from Musharraff?

[Vargha Poralli]

Originally posted by CheungMo
Zulifkar Bhutto has the blood of hundreds of thousands of Bangladeshis on his hands (due to acts of genocide he supported with blood money from Richard Nixon and Henry Kissinger)...How would his party represent a substantial improvement from Musharraff?

You should get your factrs straight before spouting ignorance.

The Leader of Pakistan during the Bangladesh Liberation war was General Yahya Khan. It is under his orders that "Operation Searchlight" which committed atrocious Human Right Violations for which you accuse Bhutto. Bhutto didn't even was a prime minister at that time until Pakistani Army was defeated in Bangladesh Liberation war.

Of course Bhutto's petty sectarian politics played a very important role in Escalation East Pakistan Crisis that does not mean that he is directly responsible for those human rights violation.

And holding this fact which he committed in 1971 against his party now shows that you know shit about South Asian politics.

A simple Wikipedia search would have done that fro you
Bangladesh Liberation War
Zulfikar Ali Bhutto

[Spirit of Spartacus]

@ Cheung Mo

Comrade, I think g.ram has answered your points adequately.

I agree that Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was responsible to a large extent for the events leading up to the Bangladeshi Liberation War.

That said, most of the responsibility for the violence must rest with the Pakistani Army, and the Pakistani dictator at that time, Yahya Khan.

And in any case, as g.ram says, Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto himself is long dead. His party today is not the same as it was back then, even though his daughter leads it.

[chebol]

Pakistan - the mass movement spreads

On the foot steps of advocates, till the end of dictatorship
By: Farooq Tariq (Secretary, Labour Party Pakistan)

On 8th March 2007, no one in Pakistan would have thought of mass movement erupting in near future that with a potential to overthrow general Mushraf regime. A day later on 9th March, he suspended the chief justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan. He had the illusion that nothing would happen and business as usual would go on. He had done it in the past successfully.

But it was different this time. Immediately after the suspension, the 80,000 strong advocates’ community started agitation against the decision.

The peak of this agitation was on 14th May 2007. For the first time since General Musharaf took over the power in October 1999, whole Pakistan shut down. It was the first political strike in seven years. It was also the first political action that was not initiated by the religious fundamentalist forces.

On 14 May, Pakistan was united against military dictatorship and gangsters of MQM, (United National Movement) a linguistic party sharing power along with General Musharaf. From Karachi to Peshawar , all the shops were closed and there was a very thin traffic on the streets. In Lahore, the largest ever demonstration since 9th March took place from Lahore High Court to Governor House on the main Mall Road. Over 15000 participated.

The strike was a solid one and even traders associated with the military regime went on strike. A great anger was expressed against the killing of over 40 political activists who went to the reception of chief justice Iftikhar Mohammed Choudry on 12 May in Karachi . Over 200 were injured by the direct firing of the thugs of MQM who had announced that they will not tolerate the reception in Karachi .

“ Karachi is ours and we would not like the political parties to politicize the issue of chief justice” was declared by Farooq Sattar, the parliamentary head of MQM a day earlier. Karachi is in the control of this neo fascist organization that based itself on the immigrants of 1947 who speaks Urdu language. They control the local bodies and almost all the provincial and national seats from the largest city of Pakistan .

The 12 May saw some of the worst incidents of direct killings of innocent citizens and political activists from different opposition parties in Karachi . All the roads linkined to Shahrai Faisal, the main road to airport was blocked by massive containers and trucks. The purpose was to stop people coming to the main road for welcome.

Although there was hundreds of Labour Party Pakistan activists present in different routs to airport, fortunately, none of them was injured or killed. They were bringing the injured one to hospitals. Several buses load of LPP activists were snatched by the gangsters of MQM and they dragged the activists inside with their guns on their heads.

“I am at Awami Markaz hiding behind a pillar of the bridge, firing is going on from different sides, next to me are lying five person full of blood, they have been hit by bullets, there is no ambulance to take them to hospital, I am crying all the time, I can not help the injured one, and I may be hit as well” Azra Perveen, a Labour Party Pakistan activist told me on telephone on 12th May at 2pm. We tried to send the media and some ambulances, but no one was ready to go that place. It was only after two hours that the injured were rushed to hospital.

Sadly, three of them died later. Azra is in a state of shock for the last three days. She has seen the blood every where.

A private TV channel Aaj tried to show live the firing by the gangsters. So the semi fascist groups came there and fired at the TV channel building for over six hours.

The local police and rangers had given a free hand to “deal” with the opposition. The chief justice was blocked at the Karachi airport alongside with 25 advocates. They were held for nine hours at the airport. The state authorities wanted him to go by helicopter to Sind High Court building to address the Sind High Court Bar Association. This was to avoid the reception of the people outside on the main roads. He refused to go by this way.

While they stopped the chief justice at the airport, the private army of the MQM opened fire on all those who came in processions to receive and welcome the chief justice. Thus a firing drama lasted for over 14 hours, resulting deaths of over 40 till mid night.

After the incidents of 12th May, the MQM is neither united nor national. They are many resigning from MQM in Punjab and Karachi is not united anymore for MQM after nearly two decades.

The same night on 12th May, the conservative Muslim League Q had planned a “mass” rally in Islamabad in support of the sacking of chief justice. Muslim League is in power with General Musharaf. This was a rally planned weeks earlier to counter the growing sympathies for the chief justice and a growing demand of an end of the military regime.

All the state employees were asked to attend the rally. All the sanitary workers were forced to attend. The Muslim League had promised to give Rupees two to five hundred ($3.5 to $8.5) for every one who attends this “historic” rally with free mineral water and food. They are regular complaints printed for the last two days in the national media about ignoring the promises of such kind. Despite all the efforts, not more than 20,000 were in the rally. It was not a rally but a festival chance for many to see Islamabad .

Addressing this rally general Musharaf praised the MQM by saying that people of Karachi has come out today. Yes, they came out to be hit by bullets of the supporters of General Musharraf.

It all went against the regime. Their rally in Islamabad was a failure. Their strategy to stop the reception of chief justice resulted in bloodshed. They lost the support among the middle class, the traditional support for the military regime and MQM. The representatives of over 480 markets of Lahore announced and acted upon the call for a shutter down strike on 12th May. It was mainly announced by the former supporters of the Musharaff regime.

The movement of the advocates had started by the bar associations across Pakistan after 9th March 2007. The advocates historically have been in the forefront of every democratic struggle in Pakistan . They were the main force behind the movement against General Auyb Khan dictatorship in the sixties; they were also responsible for keeping the movement alive during General Zia dictatorship in the eighties.
Some of them have been cooperating with the military regime of general Musharaff. Some of them had illusions of the nature of the regime. They thought it might be a progressive military regime. But all that is gone with the wind.

The movement has developed from no where to every where. It is every where. People are talking about it. They are very angry about the bloodshed. They have all seen it on the TV by the live coverage of competing private tv channels. Mostly they have mobile phones that have helped to get the immediate information.

There has been numerous hunger strike camps, protest camps, small and big demonstrations mainly by the advocates during the first sixty days of the movement. The movement was built up slow but steadily. The consistency in the protests by the advocates convinced many ordinary Pakistanis to give attention to the movement.
The movement to end the military regime in Pakistan is in its second phase of repression. The first phase of repression was to suppress the advocates in the first week of the movement just after 9th March. Many advocates were beaten up by police and many were arrested. That did not work.

Then regime strategy was to exhaust the movement by opening up. They allowed the demonstrations to take place freely. That brought more people in the movement including the activists of political parties mainly Muslim league (Nawaz) Peoples Party, parties associated with Awami jamhoori Tehreek, the left alliance including Labour Party Pakistan, Awami National Party, National Party, Baluchistan National Party, MMA, the religious alliance and so on.

The second phase of repression has started from 4th May. This time it was mainly against the political activists. I was also detained for three days by Lahore police from 4th May to 7th May. This was to prevent the political activists arranging the reception of chief justice while he was due in Lahore on 5th May to address the Lahore High Court Bar Association. He reached Lahore from Islamabad in 25 hours instead of normal five hours. This was due to the massive turn out on the main GT road to welcome the chief justice.

Labour Party Pakistan saw the potential of the movement just after 9th March. It became part of the movement from the very beginning. Its poster “on the footsteps of the advocates till the end of dictatorship” was most hit poster among the advocates. It has printed leaflets in thousands to distribute among the communities appealing them to join the movement. It has organized public meetings and rallies to bring people part of the movement.

Who is this chief justice of Supreme Court of Pakistan who has initiated the movement? The chief justice Iftikhar Choudry was no exception than the other judges who has helped this regime to sustain. But in his two years of office, he took many sue motto notices of ordinary Pakistanis who were subject to human rights violations. He particularly helped the women victims of rape and conservative reactionary customary practices that make women half of man.

He also took notices of the irregularities of the privatization process of Pakistan Steel Mills in Karachi . He in fact stopped the privatization of this massive industrial unit of Pakistan . On the other hand, he has also given decisions against the trade union rights and so on and he has banned some strikes of the public sector.

So he was not a worthy hero of ordinary people of Pakistan , but some one who helps some times. He earned respect when he refused to resign on 9th March, when he was called at the Army House by general Musharaf in the presence of five military generals. The military generals’ immediately removed him from the post and put him under house arrest. This resulted in an absolute anger among the advocates who termed this act as an attack on the judiciary.

The movement is gaining momentum among the masses day by day. This is because of the implementation of neo liberal agenda at a faster speed. The privatization, the deregulation, the so-called free market policies meant an upsurge of the prices of every day use at a level never seen before. People were fed up of the regime but had no trust on the main political parties. So they were angry but not part of the movement.

The religious fundamentalists MMA who had the street power used this to gain more and more concessions from the regime including power in North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and sharing power in another province Balushistan. But they had come out to save the regime when ever it was in trouble.

Now the religious fundamentalist are trailing behind the advocate’s movement, in the hope to hijack the movement. They have lent their support to the advocate but that are not trust worthy. They can any time go along the military regime.

So is the Pakistan People Party. Benazir Bhutto admitted last month that it is in contact with the military regime and they are ready to share power with General Musharaf as president. This sparked a great anger among the advocates who are mainly led by supporters of PPP. But the deal of the PPP is washed away in the heat of the movement. Benazir does not say any more that she is willing to share power with General Musharaf.

The movement of the advocates is led by mainly young generation. It is their first experience and they are up to the mark. They do not act upon the advices of the seniors to go slow. That is the strength of the movement.

How and when Mushraf will step down, who will take over, will it be another general to hold general elections or a transitional government of some alliances, these are some of the question discussed in the movement. One thing is absolute sure that Musharaf is weaker to an extent never seen before. He can not last long as he had planned. Many have started counting the days. He is general on his last legs.

(For further background see Lal Khan's article and this from GLW)