Pakistan: New wave of struggle
On 10th September, 2000 the PPP held a workers convention at Lahore. The last such convention was held 28 years ago. The PPP chairperson Ms. Benazir Bhutto, who has been declared a "proclaimed offender" on corruption charges by the present military regime, is presently based in London and hence could not be present. The convention was held to reinvigorate the PPP's dwindling support. The party's social base and active support have been severely eroded due to its dismal performance during its last two tenures in power. The right wing policies of these PPP regimes resulted in a sharp decline in the living standards of the masses. This resulted in disillusionment and demoralisation specially amongst the advanced workers and the party activists. But with the advent of the right wing regime of Nawaz Sharif in 1997 and the present military dictatorship in October 1999, the attacks on the masses further intensified at the behest of the IMF.