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By PTUDC - www.ptudc.org
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Wednesday, 07 May 2008 |
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May Day in Pakistan saw rallies, meetings and seminars the length and
breadth of the country, where the PTUDC, the BNT, YFIS-Pakistan, the comrades
of The Struggle and many other youth and trade union organisations
participating with a militant and determined mood.
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By Lal Khan in Pakistan
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Thursday, 01 May 2008 |
|
The capitalist system, which has been lowering the living conditions of the working class during the last 15 to 20 years of boom has now entered a slump, which will make the situation of the toiling masses even worse. The struggle against this system can only be waged with a programme, ideology, and strategy of completely changing the system. This is the message of May Day 2008.
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By PTUDC - www.ptudc.org
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Tuesday, 29 April 2008 |
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We received this appeal from the temporary,
"daily wage", workers in the Pakistan Civil Aviation Authority. They have been
working there for years but can be sacked at a moment's notice.
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By The Struggle - Pakistan
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Tuesday, 22 April 2008 |
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This is the editorial statement of The
Struggle issue 1-15 April 2008. It points out that the coming to an end of
the Musharraf dictatorship and the installation of a coalition government is
not the end of the struggle, only its beginning.
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By Harris Azhar, Aslam Ansari, PTUDC Multan
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Wednesday, 16 April 2008 |
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Pakistan's infrastructure is in a state of collapse.
Instead of things getting better, they are getting worse. Power cuts are
severely affecting the livelihood of many workers. In Multan this has erupted in militant action
which has been met by police opening fire on unarmed workers.
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By our correspondent in Lahore
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Thursday, 03 April 2008 |
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The second day of the congress saw more
than 2000 delegates, members and visitors registered. The enthusiasm of the first day was nothing
compared to the second. The discussions revealed a high level of understanding
of the tasks that lie ahead. The workers and youth who intervened showed that
the Marxist Tendency in Pakistan
has come a very long way since its early days in the 1980s.
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By our correspondent in Lahore
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Wednesday, 02 April 2008 |
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Yesterday, the annual congress of The
Struggle, the Marxist Tendency in Pakistan, held
the first sessions of its two-day congress. Almost 2000 comrades were present
from all over Pakistan
to meet at this crucial moment in Pakistani history.
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By Adam Pal
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Monday, 10 March 2008 |
|
On February 29 the Karachi regional
conference of the Pakistani Marxists was held with 350 present, their biggest
ever gathering. At the meeting there was a balance sheet of the recent election
campaign and we reproduce here the speeches of the comrades who stood for
parliament, Lund,
Wazi and Manzoor.
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By Zafar Imam
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Monday, 10 March 2008 |
|
We received this report with some delay, but we believe it
is important as it shows how the PTUDC is sinking roots inside the labour
movement in this important part of the Sindh region, gaining the support of 19
trade unions.
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By PTUDC - www.ptudc.org
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Tuesday, 04 March 2008 |
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On Saturday February 23rd over 10 supporters of the
PTUDC in Montreal attended a workshop about the recent elections in
Pakistan. The workshop was hosted by the International Marxist
Tendency.
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By Martin Hall
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Monday, 25 February 2008 |
|
A motion of affiliation to the PTUDC was successfully passed
at the meeting of the University
of East Anglia Union Council
on 21st February. The Union is now officially affiliated and an
emergency motion on Pakistan
was also passed to be sent to the NUS Executive in time for the National
Conference.
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By PTUDC Canada
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Friday, 22 February 2008 |
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Over a dozen people attended a meeting on the recent fraudulent
elections in Pakistan on a cold blustery Toronto evening. The meeting
was hosted by Canadian supporters of the Pakistani Trade Union Defence
Campaign (PTUDC), the first such meeting to date in Canada.
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By Lal Khan
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Wednesday, 20 February 2008 |
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Now that they have
blatantly manipulated the results, the main parties in Pakistan are
working towards the formation of a coalition government. This is what the
imperialist wanted all along. It is also what the right wing of the PPP wanted
as well. But the masses are waiting for concrete results, an end to their
misery. On this path we will see class polarisation within the PPP itself,
which will prepare the ground for the intervention of the Marxists.
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By In Defence of Marxism
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Wednesday, 20 February 2008 |
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We received this synopsis of major complaints received about
serious irregularities during Monday's election. It clearly shows that these
elections were neither fair nor democratic. The result was decided beforehand
and was designed to get the political scenario that imperialism requires to
govern Pakistan.
They can rig the result, but they cannot falsify the real misery that people in
Pakistan
have to suffer!
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By In Defence of Marxism
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Wednesday, 20 February 2008 |
|
Erik de Bruyn has been monitoring the elections in Karachi and has exposed
blatant vote-rigging on a grand scale. He was interviewed by several mainstream
Belgian newspapers, among them "Het Volk", "Het Nieuwsblad" and "De
Standaard". Here we provide a copy of the interview in De Standaard where Erik
explains the same points he raised in the articles published on this site
over the last few days.
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By Erik De Bruyn in Karachi
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Tuesday, 19 February 2008 |
|
Comrade Erik de Bruyn, a well-known leader of the left wing of the
Belgian Socialist Party, is in Karachi, Pakistan, as an official
election observer. In this post on his blog, he gives
us an eye-witness report on how reactionary parties like the MQM, with the consent of
the state apparatus, rigged the elections in order to reduce
the scope of the expected PPP victory. The candidates of the PPP Left
have been particularly damaged by the rigging.
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By Alan Woods
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|
Tuesday, 19 February 2008 |
|
Before the results had come in, President
Musharraf appeared on the state-run Pakistan Television, calling the vote "the
voice of the nation" and the "mother of elections" must be accepted. But in
fact this was the Mother of all Frauds.
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By Erik De Bruyn in Karachi
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Monday, 18 February 2008 |
|
Erik de Bruyn, leader of the left wing of the Flemish
Socialist Party in Belgium
has been invited by the PPP to monitor the elections in Pakistan. In particular he is monitoring
the elections in the industrial belt of Karachi
where the socialist PPP candidate Riaz Lund is challenging the ruling extreme
right wing party, the MQM. You will find here a first personal report published
yesterday Sunday, February 17th on his blog.
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By Adam Pal
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|
Friday, 15 February 2008 |
|
We are in the final stages of the election campaign in Pakistan. The
masses are clearly backing the PPP in large numbers. Reaction is also preparing.
Blatant rigging cannot be ruled out, but this would only serve to enrage the
masses. In this context the Marxists are standing in several constituencies,
where they are running a revolutionary election campaign that is having a big
impact among the workers and poor.
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By Lorenzo Fiorito in Montreal
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Thursday, 14 February 2008 |
|
At a recent meeting of Bloquez l'Empire/Block the
Empire-Montreal (BLEM) in Montreal
a resolution of support for the PTUDC was passed (in French and English).
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By Adam Pal
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Friday, 08 February 2008 |
|
The successful election campaign of the Marxists in the PPP
in the constituency of NA-257 Karachi threatens to upset the plans of the
reactionary MQM party that has dominated the area. It is however clear that
they are preparing to use all means possible to rig the result, including armed
gangs, death threats.
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By PTUDC - www.ptudc.org
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Monday, 28 January 2008 |
|
If they go forward as planned, the February 18
elections will mark a decisive turning point in the history of the class
struggle in Pakistan.
In the district of Kasur, the might of the Pakistani ruling class is being
confronted by the ideas of revolutionary Marxism and the enthusiasm and
aspirations of the masses. To combat the wealth and slanders of one of Pakistan's
richest industrialists, Manzoor Ahmed has again vowed to wage irreconcilable
struggle till socialist revolution.
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By marxy.com
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|
Thursday, 24 January 2008 |
|
Lal Khan is the editor
of Asian Marxist Review and the author of numerous books on the Indian
subcontinent. He is also a leading figure of the Marxist organisation The
Struggle in the Pakistan People's Party. He is currently preparing a book on
the 1968-69 socialist revolution in Pakistan. The Arab Marxist website marxy.com interviewed him on the stormy events in Pakistan. There is also a short video message to the Arab Marxists inside.
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By In Defence of Marxism
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Thursday, 24 January 2008 |
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We republish here the back page of the December 30th, 2007 edition of The Post - Lahore. The first extracts were from the Pakistan People's Party 1970 manifesto, the second ones from the 2008 pro-Capitalist manifesto and the third section of the page was Alan Woods' article Pakistan: The assassination of Benazir Bhutto, providing a Marxist analysis of the situation in Pakistan after Benazir Bhutto's assassination.
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By Paras Jan
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Thursday, 24 January 2008 |
|
South Waziristan is a
Tribal area in Pakistan, on the notorious Durand Line drawn by the British in
1893. The presence of a primitive tribal system in this area and the absence of
any social infrastructure clearly reveal the impotence of the Pakistani
bourgeoisie. What is new is the fact that a Marxist is standing for parliament
in the area, offering a socialist alternative to the barbarism that threatens
the whole region.
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By Adam Pal
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|
Wednesday, 16 January 2008 |
|
On Monday, January 14, a bomb attack took
place in Karachi. The bomb was clearly part of an attempt to intimidate the
people in the area with the aim of stopping them from voting on February 18.
The area where the bomb went off lies within the constituency where comrade Riaz
Hussain Lund Baloch, a revolutionary Marxist, is standing. All indications are
that this overwhelmingly working class area is going to vote massively for him.
It is evident that the bomb is aimed at him and his election campaign.
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By Adam Pal
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|
Wednesday, 09 January 2008 |
|
We have just received this extremely important report from
the comrades in Pakistan. It indicates that the assassination of Benazir Bhutto
has had the effect of a catalyst that is impelling the masses onto the
revolutionary road. The situation is now beginning to resemble that of tsarist
Russia after Bloody Sunday in 1905. The Pakistan Marxists of The Struggle
are playing a leading role in the mass movement, as this report clearly shows.
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By Alan Woods
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Monday, 31 December 2007 |
|
The murder of Benazir Bhutto has led to an
explosion of popular anger. Pakistan is convulsed by rioting and mass protests.
Society has been stirred up to the depths. Raw human emotion has spilled over
onto the streets of every city, town and village. The army and police are
powerless to halt the tide of indignation. The government is shaken to the
core.
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By The Struggle (Pakistan)
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|
Monday, 31 December 2007 |
|
The following leaflet of the Pakistani comrades of The Struggle was distributed on a grand scale in which they demand an end of the cruel capitalist system, its cruel institutions, imperialist hegemony, and religious terrorism.
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By Communist Action League, Rank and File Tendency
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Monday, 31 December 2007 |
|
In this letter the activists of Communist Action League / Rank and File Tendency of Morocco condemn the recent attacks against Pakistani Marxist activists during the election
campaign by members of the fascist MQM movement.
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By Alan Woods
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|
Thursday, 27 December 2007 |
|
Benazir Bhutto has been killed in a suicide bomb attack. The leader of the Pakistan People's Party (PPP) had just addressed a rally of PPP
supporters in the town of Rawalpindi
when the attack took place. First reports talked of at least 100 killed in the attack, but more recent news put the figure at 20. This murderous onslaught on the PPP came in the
middle of an election campaign where, after years of military dictatorship, the
masses were striving for a change.
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By Erik De Bruyn
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Thursday, 27 December 2007 |
|
Erik De Bruyn recently stood for the
position of Chairman of the Flemish Socialist Party, receiving 34%. He stood as
leader of the SP.a Rood, the left wing of the party. He has issued this
statement condemning the MQM threats against PPP activists in NA-257 &
PS-127 Karachi.
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By Jeremy Dear
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|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
|
After the serious physical threats against PPP activists in Karachi, Jeremy Dear, General Secretary of
the NUJ has added his voice of protest, condemning the attack and warning that
if any PPP activist should be harmed he will raise the issue with the relevant
authorities.
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By In Defence of Marxism
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|
Friday, 21 December 2007 |
|
A key trade
union leader in Greece and
several student unions have come out in support of workers in Pakistan.
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By John McDonnell MP
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|
Thursday, 20 December 2007 |
|
After the serious physical threats against PPP activists in
Karachi, John McDonnell MP has issued this statement, condemning the attack and
warning that if they continue the issue will be taken up in the British and
world labour movement.
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By our correspondent in Pakistan
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|
Wednesday, 19 December 2007 |
|
On the evening
of December 18 two comrades putting up posters and canvassing in Karachi were threatened by
10 armed activists of the MQM organization. They attempted to abduct one of the
comrades but failed to do so thanks to the intervention of local people. All
comrades must be put on alert for any immediate mobilization of support that
may be requested.
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By PTUDC - www.ptudc.org
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|
Wednesday, 19 December 2007 |
|
The radical student union, l'Association pour une solidarité syndicale
étudiante (ASSÉ), representing 40,000-50,000 students in Quebec,
has officially backed the PTUDC.
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By In Defence of Marxism
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|
Monday, 17 December 2007 |
|
Dawn, one of Pakistan's most widely circulated English language newspapers, published an article today about Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed, “'the only communist member' from the PPP in the last National Assembly”. Manzoor will stand for the elections again in constituency NA-139, Kasur, where he has won in the 2002 election.
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By a correspondent in Pakistan
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Wednesday, 12 December 2007 |
|
We have been told by
the media that the January elections in Pakistan will be "free and fair",
but this report reveals how the rich and powerful will use all means necessary
to keep their seats. A PPP candidate who played a key role in the previous
parliament in opposing anti-working class legislation is now facing physical
threats.
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By PTUDC - www.ptudc.org
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Friday, 30 November 2007 |
|
Islington Constituency Labour Party met on November 21 and
the PTUDC motion on Pakistan moved by the Tollington Labour Ward was
overwhelmingly adopted by the General Committee meeting. It will be sent to the
Foreign Secretary David Miliband.
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By PTUDC - www.ptudc.org
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Friday, 30 November 2007 |
|
On Sunday November 25 the Vancouver local of the Canadian
Union of Postal Workers passed a resolution in support of the PTUDC. After a
brief discussion about the current situation in Pakistan, the following
resolution was passed unanimously by about 60 trade unionists present at the
meeting.
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By Alan Woods
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|
Thursday, 29 November 2007 |
|
Events in Pakistan are moving fast. Yesterday,
General Musharraf quit as army chief, and was hastily sworn in as president on the
same day. The general hopes that in this way he will win respectability in the
run-up to the election promised for January 8. This sets the stage for a big
shift in Pakistan.
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By Paras Jan
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Wednesday, 28 November 2007 |
|
The BNT recently held
an important meeting of student federations from across Pakistan. The
meeting brought together several progressive student federations from across Pakistan into
one platform to struggle for student rights and the state of emergency declared
by the Musharraf.
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By In Defence of Marxism
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|
Monday, 19 November 2007 |
|
Comrade Manzoor Ahmed, the Marxist MP in Pakistan, was released from the Central Jail of Gujranwala this morning. He is now leading a jubilant caravan of supporters back to his hometown of Kasur.
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By Lal Khan
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|
Friday, 16 November 2007 |
|
Musharraf's hold on power hangs by a thread. With pressure on all sides he has very few options and the crisis continues to mount. The pressure on the masses continues to grow, and they can stand no more. The only way out of the situation, the only forward, is socialist revolution.
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By Manzoor Ahmed
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|
Friday, 16 November 2007 |
|
Immediately upon being informed
of Manzoor’s arrest we rang the comrades in Lahore. Whether through the inefficiency of
the police, or because they were overwhelmed by the large number of arrests,
they forgot to confiscate Manzoor’s mobile phone. Comrade Alan Woods was therefore
able to speak to him in his cell, from which he delivered an inspiring message
for the workers of the world, which we publish here.
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By Adam Pal in Lahore
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|
Friday, 16 November 2007 |
|
Comrade
Manzoor was arrested on a demonstration this morning, after leading many
demonstrations throughout the Punjab. We have
just received this message from Pakistan.
Comrade Manzoor Ahmed, the Marxist MP is also president of the Pakistan Trade
Union Defence Campaign.
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By Sadaf Zahra in Lahore and Javed Malik in Kasur - 1830 hrs PST
|
|
Tuesday, 13 November 2007 |
|
We have just received this report of a rally in
Kasur led by Manzoor Ahmed, the Marxist MP in Pakistan. The police baton-charged
the rally and attempted to arrest Manzoor but the demonstrators protected him
and helped him get away. But hundreds of PPP and PTUDC activists were arrested.
We will keep our readers updated as we get the news.
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By In Defence of Marxism
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|
Monday, 12 November 2007 |
|
Early on the morning of November 11, the house of comrade Jam Saqi was raided by police. Despite the repression carried out against him in the past, and currently, he has vowed to continue the struggle for socialism.
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By The Unemployed Youth Movement (BNT) and workers of the PPP
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|
Friday, 09 November 2007 |
|
The comrades in Pakistan have been massively distributing the following leaflet in Rwalpindi, where Bhutto's protest was to be held.
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By In Defence of Marxism
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Friday, 09 November 2007 |
|
Comrades in Pakistan have been intervening in the student protests against Musharraf. This report provides details on some of the protests and arrests that have taken place.
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By PTUDC
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Thursday, 08 November 2007 |
|
The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign has issued a model resolution against the recent repression which can be used in the labour movement.
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By Adam Pal in Lahore
|
|
Monday, 05 November 2007 |
|
There is much talk in the media about the various factors that have led General Musharaff to impose an Emergency in Pakistan. One very important factor that they all seem to conveniently ignore is the rising mood of trade union and working class militancy. This is taking place as the Pakistani economy plunges into the deepest crisis in its history. The scene is being prepared for an almighty workers' backlash.
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By Alan Woods
|
|
Sunday, 04 November 2007 |
|
On Saturday November 3 President Pervez
Musharraf declared virtual martial law, imposing a state of emergency
throughout Pakistan,
suspending | |
