Pakistan

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.