At ten o'clock this morning at the Kayani Hall, the High Court in Lahore, Alan Woods delivered a lecture on the war in Iraq and the role of imperialism to the Lahore High Court Bar Association, the most prestigious lawyers elected body of lawyers in Pakistan. It is without precedent that a foreign Marxist should be invited to address this body.
At ten o'clock this morning at the Kayani Hall, the High Court in Lahore, Alan Woods delivered a lecture on the war in Iraq and the role of imperialism to the Lahore High Court Bar Association, the most prestigious lawyers elected body of lawyers in Pakistan.
This forum is one of the most sought-for platforms in the whole of Pakistan politics. It is without precedent that a foreign Marxist should be invited to address this body. It reflects a ferment in Pakistan society that is beginning to affect parts of the state apparatus itself. The mood of anti-imperialism that has gripped the whole of society has also affected the lawyers, who are also coming into collision with the Musharraf dictatorship.
The Bar Association has clearly come out against America's war of aggression and also held demonstrations against it. The have opposed Musharraf's undemocratic Legal Framework Order (LFO), an attempt to amend the constitution to maintain the military dictatorship under another name, preserving the constitutional role of the army, on the same lines as Turkey.
About 150 lawyers, including many of the most senior barristers in Pakistan, listened attentively to the 45 minute-long speech, which explained the imperialist motives of the war and its consequences for Asia and Pakistan. It ended with a spirited defence of Marxism and a socialist Pakistan:
"I issue the following challenge to you. Immediately after this meeting, go to the library of the Bar Association and look at any bourgeois book written 150 years ago and I will tell you in advance that this book will have merely an historical interest. But just read the Communist Manifesto, written by Marx and Engels in 1848 and you will find a precise description of the world as it is today, not 150 years ago."
A lively question and answer session followed. One lawyer asserted that this was a war of the west against Islam. Alan pointed out that the US imperialists were not concerned with the religion of their victims but only in plundering their wealth. He added that the USA had supported and financed Islamic fundamentalist movements in the past – including in Pakistan – and that Osama bin Laden had been created by the CIA.
Another questioner asked whether it was true that Marxism was dead. The speaker replied:
"Yes, Marxism is dead, socialism is dead, communism is dead. How do we know this? Because we read it every day in the newspapers, we see it every day on the television, and we hear it every day from the rostrum of universities.
"The question that occurs is, however, why do they bother to attack an idea that is dead? Now I can believe many things about the ruling class. But I do not believe they are stupid. And I do not believe that they would spend so much time, effort and money in combating an idea that is dead. Rather I prefer to believe that they will only attack an idea that is not only alive, but which is dangerous. And Marxism is very dangerous for the bourgeoisie and its system (applause)."
The speech and reply were warmly applauded. S.M. Masoud, former Minister of Justice of Punjab under the government of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto and a founder member of the PPP, presented a vote of thanks in which he denounced the war as imperialist and called on the lawyers of Pakistan to oppose it by every means.
After the meeting many of those present congratulated the speaker. Among them were lawyers who described themselves as Marxists, including old Communists and veterans of the struggle against British imperialism, who were extremely enthusiastic. This is not Europe, where the legal profession is wholly dominated by the most right wing reactionary elements. A debate of this type would be unthinkable in Britain!
Even some of those present who could not be considered as friendly to Marxism were clearly impressed. An old man with a beard came up to the speaker, looked him straight in the eyes and announced: "I am a fundamentalist!" Then after a moment he broke into a smile, took Alan's hand and shook it vigorously.