As capitalism is entering its most brutal phase, the peoples of world are seeking a way out. A thirst can be observed among masses in this regard. The crisis is unfolding on the political, economic, and social fronts. The historical betrayal and the collapse of Stalinism has deepened and widened the political vacuum. But the genuine Marxist ideas, have not only maintained their validity, but are still flowering in the minds and hearts of the world proletariat. They are still the only way out. And among the genuine vanguard of the working class, Marxism and socialism are again on the order of the day.
The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign and Youth For International Socialism (Pakistan) celebrated the 86th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution on November 7, 2003 throughout the country. For this purpose they arranged many public meetings in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Multan, Quetta and Hyderabad simultaneously.
Another aspect of this program of seminars and public meetings was that in conjunctions with these events the workers throughout the country organised demonstrations in solidarity with the workers of the Pakistan Steel Mills who are facing the worst suppression and brutal policies of the Chairman of the Steel Mills and of the Musharraf regime. The following are the details of these activities.
Lahore
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Sadaf Zahra, the President of the Lahore Peoples Youth Organization, Ahmad Nawaz Wattoo, Advocate, Central Information Secretary of the Peoples Party Women's Wing Shahida Jabbin, General Secretary of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign, Ch. Ghulam Abbass, ex provincial minister and leader of the PPPP and Safdar Sindhu were the main speakers, while the meeting was presided by Ch Manzoor Ahmad MNA who is the president of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign. Mr. Jahangir Badar General Secretary of PPPP was the Chief Guest for this meeting. While addressing the audience the speakers said that for the first time in modern history in Russia in 1917 the deprived and oppressed class fought and won the battle for their rights. They overthrew the ruling class and established a democratic proletarian state which became a symbol of freedom and prosperity for the workers of the whole world. The later Stalinist degeneration was not a product of the revolution, but of its isolation in a backward country. Only the international socialist revolution can pull the workers of the world out of this misery and deprivation.
Multan
In Multan the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign and Youth For International Socialism (Pakistan) held a seminar to celebrate the 86th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution. Senior vice chairman of the Pakistan People's Party and (ex-speaker of the National Assembly) Yousaf Raza Geelani, Comrade Lal Khan, Editor Asian Marxist Review, Habibullah Shakir, district president PPP Multan, Ilyas Khan, ex-president People's Youth Organization Punjab, Comrade Dr. Taqi, Comrade Rauf Khan Lund, Saeeda Jamal, leader of PPP women's wing, were among the speakers. Comrade Ilyas Khan opened the debate on “The effects of the Bolshevik Revolution on the World". He said that the Bolshevik Party made a revolution in the most backward society. Despite the betrayal of Stalin the planned economy advanced society to an unexpected level. He said that the theory of the "End of History" has been proven absolutely wrong.
Capitalism has shown its inability on a world level. No country has ever made such rapid advances as Russia did after the Bolshevik revolution. Saeeda Jamal said that Bolshevik revolution shocked the whole world, transformed the working class and gave a new potential to the class struggle. Habibullah Shakir said that comrade Lenin has led the Russian towards a new system, which changed the whole scenario. The Bolshevik revolution affected world politics; especially as it gave new dimensions to the intellects and impressed a whole generation. Rauf said that human history tells us that life is ever being honored and regarded, and the aim has always been to struggle to make it better and more beautiful. The human race has always struggled in different places and times. The Russian revolution changed the meanings of words. It refined the purity of relations. Comrade Lal Khan said that we have to examine and observe the character of the present epoch. What is going on, how is it going on? Barbarism, alienation, looting, exploitation, falsification is the face of this epoch. Capitalism has gone beyond its limits, and has proven its obsolescence. The accumulation of wealth in a few hands, involves poverty for billions around the globe.
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The class struggle never proceeds smoothly and in a straight line. It is entering a new phase of its history. We have to accelerate it by building a Marxist party, and organizing the working class. He said the Pakistan People's Party's manifesto and fundamental documents consist of the most radical programme, which are still valid. Senior vice-chairman of the PPP Yousaf Raza Geelani said that once again the PPP has to return to the Socialist Manifesto .He said that Socialist Revolution is the only solution to pull the poor masses of the world out of poverty, especially in the “Third World”.
Quetta
Youth for international Socialism and PTUDC Quetta organized a seminar in Baldiya Plaza at 4pm to celebrate the 86th anniversary of the Bolshevik revolution. A large number of trade unionists, labour, youth and women participated in the seminar. Comrade Nazar Maingal, who is the Provincial organizer of the PTUDC, presided the seminar while comrade Sajid Lodhi (provincial general secretary of Pakistan Telecommunication and Deputy General Secretary of the Peoples Labour Bureau), comrade Aafaq, Provincial organizer of YFIS-Pakistan, comrade Ali Raza Mangol, Comrade Nasreen Jaleel, and Comrade Ali Mardan were the main speakers.
The comrades stressed that the Revolution of 1917 was a great example for the working class. It teaches us how the working class through the correct revolutionary ideology was able to overthrow the capitalist system and show humanity the way out from the hell of poverty, illiteracy, joblessness and war. They also discussed the Pakistan perspectives and stressed that only socialism could provide a way out of the mess the country is facing.
Karachi
The PTUDC and YFIS-Pakistan held a pubic meeting to celebrate the 86th anniversary of Bolshevik revolution in the Karachi office of the fortnightly Tabqati Judojehd (The Struggle). A large number of workers from the Pakistan Steel Mills, students and youth participated in this meeting. At the start of the meeting comrade Hardil opened up the proceedings with a revolutionary poem. Comrade Sheikh Majeed, Ayub Qureshi, Raja Habib, and Mohammad Khan Ramadan were the main speakers. The comrades said that today with the deep recession of capitalism the working class is facing deep problems. All the technological and scientific advances are being used to further impoverish the working class. Humanity is left with the choice either to die of hunger and disease or to be killed under the bombings of the world imperialism. The speakers also said that the workers will have to be united and they would have to fight not only against the down sizing, outsourcing and privatization, but also against the anti labour law like IRO-2002 and the “Removal From Services Act”.
Hyderabad
The PTUDC held a public meeting at the Sindh Education Trust to celebrate the anniversary of the Bolshevik Revolution. Comrades Anwar Uqaili, Allah Bachaio Bharani, Ali Nawaz Ikaihar and Anwar Phanwar addressed the audience. They said that even today the only way of lifting humanity out of the depths it has fallen into is offered by Marxism. This ideology allows workers and youth to look below the surface of society and to seek out the political, social, economic, psychological and cultural causes of the problems of mankind. And it was this ideology that was behind the Bolshevik revolution in 1917. They stressed that it was not Marxism but Stalinism that failed in Russia. At that time more than 60% of the population was living below the poverty line. Discussing the character of the revolution they said that no other revolution is possible in the world in the present situation. The character of the revolution can only be socialist, which will move forward in the shape of internationalism.
Rawalpindi
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On this occasion comrade Qamar Zaman Qaira said that we should prepare ourselves for the forthcoming coming movements of the masses. We should be ideologically strong and prepared. The revolution of 1917 was a symbol of struggle and a victory of the socialist revolution and for the working class.
Comrade Zahid Bloch, comrade Sajid Tanoli of the People's Lawyers' Forum, comrades Azad Qadri, Iftikhar Haider Jhatla and Kabeer Khan from thePakistan Telecommunications Department, comrade Yunus Khan of the Sebro union and comrade Zafer Malik of the Heavy Mechanical Complex addressed to the audience.
All these activities in Pakistan represented a great and enthusiastic effort not only on the part of the Marxists, but also for those who want to understand the crisis of capitalism and wish for a change in this inhuman system. These celebrations boosted the morale of the comrades and represent a milestone in the building of a Marxist revolutionary organization in Pakistan.