CMKP Condemns Bhutto Assassination

Press Release 30-12-07

Karachi, Dec 29: The heinous horrified assassination of PPP Chairperson Benazir Bhutto, a most popular leader and former prime minister, has once against testified the magnitude of the tyrant savage system controlled by military establishment. What she fell prey to the suicide bombing and so-called Islamic militancy were the culmination of the politics of Islamisation and Jihad that where put into motion by the military Zia regime and still being done by a section of establishment and supported by a group of fanatics. The objective has been just to brutalise the society and thwart the democratic aspirations of the people, to prolong the undemocratic rule. This has also showed the fault of the existing socio-economic and political system that needs its elimination through sincere and protected struggle. Moreover, nobody is safe under military-dominated rule.

In a press statement, Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party Pakistan (CMKP) Chairman Sufi Khalik Baloch condemned the brutal murder of Mohtarma Benazir Bhutto, while urging to expose and punish all those involved in such crime against humanity and decency. He added that at such a sad moment, he shared the shock and grief equally with the leaders and workers of PPP as well as her family. He paid tributes that she died bravely as she was conscious of the threat under the cover of religious extremism, although the fact is that she became the target for the dislikeness of domestic cliques that are counted in the politics of Pakistan. He hoped her blood could not go in vain but helpstrengthen democracy and socio-economic rights of the people.

CMKP Website:- http://cmkp.tk
CMKP YahooForum:- http://groups.yahoo.com/group/cmkp_pk
CMKP News:- http://cmkp_pk.blogspot.com

Read More »

Benazir's Murder and the Inconsolable Grief of the Pakistani People

Taimur Rahman

Tragically, the fate of the first female prime minister in the Muslim world has met with a violent end. The people of Pakistan are gripped by inconsolable grief at the news of the murder of Benazir Bhutto.

In the PPP the people of Pakistan saw a mainstream political party that spoke about the rights of poor people. The slogan of roti, kapra, makan (bread, clothes, housing) galvanized millions against the military dictatorship of Ayub Khan in the late 1960s. The democratic reforms undertaken by Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto challenged the interests of the traditional ruling class of Pakistan. The ruling class in turn began to support Islamic fundamentalism and military rule as a counter-weight to this democratic upsurge. After Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto was hanged by the religious fundamentalist regime of Zia ul Haq, Benazir Bhutto led the PPP for the restoration of democracy. Despite the ostensible return of democracy in 1988, the establishment continued to harbour intense hatred and refused to reconcile themselves to the "populist" currents of the PPP. General Pervaiz Musharraf treated the PPP no different than all previous military dictators. Political rumors notwithstanding, repression within the country forced Benazir into an eight year exile.

The "war on terror", however, forced the army to renege with great reluctance its long-standing collaboration with religious fundamentalists. Seething with hatred, the fundamentalists made a serious bid for power this July leading to the episode of the lal masjid (red mosque). Benazir was the only national leader with the courage to take a clear and uncompromising stance against Islamic extremism. Moreover, she was the only political leader with the popular support that made such a statement legitimate and gave it weight.

Given the precarious position of Musharraf's dictatorship, Benazir's stance opened up the opportunity for a softening of the attitude of the military towards the PPP. The military saw it as an opportunity to stabilize their rule. The PPP saw it as an opportunity to get their principle leader back into the country. The West saw this as an opportunity to stabilize Pakistan and keep it focused on the "war on terror". People, groaning under poverty and increasing cost of living, saw it as an opportunity to obtain some relief. And the fundamentalists saw it as the incarnation of their greatest mortal enemy. The latter openly declared that they would kill Benazir if she dared to return. In October, upon Benazir's return to Karachi, they tried and failed. Today they did not.

The overwhelming number of people hold the military dictatorship of General Pervaiz Musharraf responsible for failing to provide adequate security. Furthermore, the finger of suspicion cannot so easily be lifted away from elements within the establishment. Benazir herself stated that in addition to Islamic fundamentalists in tribal areas, she suspected that certain elements within the ISI also wanted her dead.

While there will be many who try to minimize the public outcry against this incident by pointing to the many short-comings, inconsistencies and faults of the PPP, it is clear that the biggest fault of Benazir was that she spoke for the secularism, democracy and most importantly for the rights of the poor and dispossessed of Pakistan. For this fault, she was prepared to and did pay the ultimate price.

The Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party condemns the murder of Benazir Bhutto.

Down with religious fundamentalism and military rule!
Long live a peoples revolution!

CMKP Website:- http://cmkp.tk
CMKP News:- http://cmkp_pk.blogspot.com

Read More »

Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaaz: On the emergency Pakistan

ON THE EMERGENCY IN PAKISTAN

Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaaz

President Pervaiz Musharraf has imposed a state of emergency in the country, suspending certain provisions of the Constitution, under the Provisional Constitution Order.

Prior to this, the president announced the withdrawal of all corruption charges pending in the National Accountability Bureau and courts against politicians.

During the entire process, the contradictions between the exploiting classes have been brutally exposed. These classes, besides exploiting the masses, also fight among themselves. This is similar to the disputes between imperialist powers that fight to keep the countries under their control, and thus lead them also into wars.

It is to be noted that the different groups who are fighting amongst themselves to exploit the masses, are now being directed by American imperialism, not to fight but to compromise on power sharing and continue to remain under American influence.

On the other hand, the working people of Pakistan have been continuously exploited in the last 60 years. The imposition of emergency or Martial Law, or even the so-called democratic dispensation would not make any difference to them, and they will remain under exploitation.

As in the past, when the country now goes to poll for the next election, the same exploiting classes with new faces would be elected to the parliament without bringing any change in the system.

Would anyone in the new elected parliament ever voice concern on any issue of the masses?

Would anyone talk about the demolition of feudalism in the country?

Would the working class get their rights under the provisions of the International Labour Organisation ?

And would the parliament levy taxation on the income of feudal lords?

No, no such thing would happen.

This rotten feudal system would continue as it is, and the exploiting, reactionary constitution would remain intact and new planning to exploit the masses would be made in the new parliament.

This would go on till such time that a correct political line, free of opportunism is not adopted, and the working people and peasantry, are not organised to wage a revolutionary struggle, to demolish the reactionary parliament from within and outside, and a new parliament is elected with the votes of the working people, only then, the problems of the exploited masses would be redressed.

Till such time, the exploiting classes would remain fighting amongst themselves, with the masses toiling under them.

24th November 2007

Read More »

APTUF Slams Martial Law in Pakistan

All Pakistan Trade Union Federation
November 7th, 2007

Let us claim the world over for immediate cancellation of the state of emergency in Pakistan

On November 3rd, 2007, a state of emergency has been imposed to Pakistan. In the days that followed, arrests have been multiplied. Demonstrations have been banned, and constitutional rights suspended.

All Pakistan Trade Union Federation supports the demand of trade unions and democratic organisations in Pakistan that the State of emergency be immediately cancelled, all prisoners released and the right of expression and association guaranteed.

The All Pakistan Trade Union Federation send its support and solidarity especially to democratic
organisations/ activists/ lawyers/journalists/peasants and all trade unions in Pakistan. We call to send declarations from all over the world asking for the immediate cancellation of the State of
emergency and the restoration of all elementary democratic rights.

We invite you to send these demands to the Pakistani authorities and to communicate to us your initiatives, in order to be able to inform Pakistani trade unions which are engaged in a fight for the defence of democratic rights and the right to organise.

Send telegrams and declarations to:
- the President of the Islamic Republic of Pakistan, General Musharaff President House- Islamabad, Pakistan.
- the embassies of Pakistan in your own country

Read More »