On May 7 a protest broke out in Malakand over water and electricity shortages. The Army was brought in and was preparing a brutal clampdown. In the face of the wrath of the masses, led by a Marxist, Shakeel Khan, who was temporarily arrested, they had to back off and give in to all the demands of the protestors.
On 7th May people from four union councils under the leadership of comrades of the PTUDC announced wheel jam strike and protests over low voltage and water shortages in their areas against WAPDA and the state authorities. The strike started at 7am and continued till 4 in the evening, during which Batkhela Totakan Road was totally blocked. Workers, political activists and youth in the area participated in these protests in big numbers.
The protests in Dheri Jolagram turned into a public meeting and the masses raised revolutionary slogans. Speakers at the public meeting condemned the apathy of political leaders and demanded the resignation of elected candidates in the Assembly from this area as they are unable to deliver on their promises. Speakers, also inspired from the events of Kyrgzistan, referred to the insurrection there and vowed to follow that example.
Those who addressed the public meeting were comrades Shakeel Khan, Ishaq, Mushtaq Usmani, Sultan Ali, Peer Gul, Bakht Karam, Asghar Ayub, Zahir Shah, Zawar Dada, Nosherwan, Haq Nawaz, Muhamad Karam, Noor ul Hussain, Comrade Ameer, Sana ullah, Ustam Khan, Zaman Ali Khan, Aziz Khan and others.
The state authorities were horrified by the strike and protests and also the revolutionary mood of the masses, while the Army officials, who are carrying out military terrorism in the name of operation Rahe Rast, felt it as an obstacle to their vested interests.
As the speeches and protest was going on, a big Army Battalion came out and the Captain asked the people to disperse. But the people refused to do so. The Army personnel took their positions and aimed their guns towards the people waiting for the order to shoot. Comrade Shakeel Khan at this moment challenged the Army officer if he dared give the order to shoot, because the protestors were not prepared to back off even one inch. The people stayed firm with comrade Shakeel and were ready to face the wrath of the Army.
The determination of the people forced the Army to step back and even WAPDA had to bend its knees, as all the demands of the people were accepted.
On May 13 comrade Shakeel, along with two other people, were arrested at their homes on the behest of a provincial minister from this area and the Army officials. But when he was jailed he was not told why he had been arrested.
Meanwhile, nearly 700 people gathered around the Malakand police station to protest against the arrest of comrade Shakeel Khan. The police once again had to yield before the pressure of the masses and had to release him.
On his release the comrade addressed the people, explaining that we are waging a class war and arrests and assassinations are a part of this war. We do not fear threats by the cowardly agents of the State and the Army who are throwing us back into the dark ages. The ongoing war in Malakand and other tribal areas is not the war of the people of these areas. It is a war that has been imposed on them. Only the victory of the working class through a socialist revolution can end this reign of blood and oppression and we will continue our irreconcilable struggle till the end.
No to religious war! No to National War! Only Class War!