The Unemployment Youth Movement (BNT) was recently set up in the district of Rahim Yar Khan in Pakistan. Here we provide a brief report.
The founding convention of the Unemployment Youth Movement (BNT) in the district of Rahim Yar Khan was held on 21 November in the Allama Iqbal Library Auditorium. Representatives of the BNT from all parts of the country spoke at the occasion. Comrade Zuhaib Butt, Chief Organizer of the BNT, presided over the convention, while General Secretary Zafar Imam was the chief guest. Comrade Qamar uz Zaman, vice-president of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign was also present at the event. Comrade Kashif, organizer of the BNT in Rahim Yar Khan, was stage secretary. Activists of YFIS from Khawja Farid College also participated in the convention in big numbers.
Other speakers included comrade Rashid Khalid and comrade Rehana from the Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation (JKNSF), comrade Waqar from the war zones of Malakand in Pushtoonkhwa, comrade Vinod vice-president of the BNT in the district of Hyderabad, comrade Changez from Rawalpindi, comrade Naveed from the BNT in Quetta, comrade Nadeem Pasha, organizer of the BNT in Multan, along with other trade union leaders who had arrived there to extend solidarity with the unemployed youth.
The speakers condemned the curse of unemployment which is being imposed on the youth in this epoch by the decaying capitalist system. Speakers from all regions outlined the miserable conditions which the youth are facing in their regions and are going into narcotics and crime. No political party is offering any alternative to the problems faced by the youth and this system so the youth has no way out. This youth is choosing a path of its own destruction. Now the BNT is emerging as an alternative platform for the youth where they can join their energies to fight against this curse and end unemployment and this draconian system that is ruining the lives of millions of people on this planet.
Sacked workers from Unilever also came to the convention in big numbers and expressed solidarity with the BNT. These workers are also protesting for their reinstatement to their jobs.
Comrade Zafar Imam announced the newly elected office bearers of the BNT in the district of Rahim Yar Khan which are: Ammar Aslam President, Rais Shahid vice-president, Ishaq Malik Secretary General, comrade Umair Information Secretary.
In the end Comrade Zuhaib Butt explained the gains made by the planned economies in the past in the USSR and other countries of the world. He also outlined the fatal errors made by the bureaucracies in these economies which led to its downfall. He emphasized the importance of another socialist revolution on a much bigger scale that would change the fortunes of the suffering peoples of the world. The convention ended with the slogans of Socialist Inqilab [Socialist Revolution].
A rally was also held at the end to protest against the dismissal of the workers from Unilever in which unemployed youth participated in big numbers.