The working class in Pakistan is on the move after decades of inactivity. This was proved on May Day this year. The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC) organized for May Day on a national level. There was widespread participation of workers, trade union leaders, political activists and youth in the May Day events in 26 different cities. A marvellous poster was launched and pasted all over the country and at all work places. We present here a detailed report of the events.

May Day Rally in Karachi

Karachi East

The Mehran Labour Federation organized the May Day meeting which was presided over by the renowned labour leader Mohammad Yameen. Mohammad Ahmad Warsi of the PTUDC, Rao Manzoor of the General Tyres Labour Union, and Rao Sikandar addressed the workers and explained the situation facing the working class. They condemned the anti-labour laws and announced their full support for Comrade Manzoor Ahmad (MP) in his struggle for the working class in parliament. The meeting passed the following resolutions:

1- We salute the Chicago martyrs who made the greatest sacrifice in struggle.
2- The wages of workers must match the cost of living.
3- In support of unconditional CBA rights for workers.

Revolutionary songs on the May Day March

The May Day rally began at the main gate of the Bawani Sugar Mill. The participants demonstrated their great sentiments by shouting revolutionary socialist, anti-imperialist slogans. Comrade Gopal Sharma, Comrade Ayoob Kunbhar, Comrade Bachal Khan of the Haari Committee, Prail Malla of the Citizens’ Action Committee, and Chaitan addressed the rally.

The PTUDC in the district of Dadu arranged a big rally and mass meeting to pay tribute to the international workers’ movement. Hundreds of workers and activists participated in the rally, which gathered at the Highway Labour Hall. The meeting was chaired by Mohammad Morail Panhwar, district PTUDC organizer. Amin Jamali, Raja Rafiq of the Paramedic Staff Union, Hasan ul Din, Bashir Solangi of the Municipality Union, Ghulam Qadir of the Hotel Labourers’ Association, Dost Ali, Mohammad Musa, Bashir Chana of the Highway Workers’ Union, Comrade Anwar Panhawar and Nazim Zafar Ali Shah addressed to meeting. Ejaz Baghyo and Ashiq Daoodi finished the meeting by reading revolutionary poetry.

The PTUDC organized the May Day rally in Meerpur. The speakers condemned the IMF and the World Bank dictated policies of the Musharraf regime. Comrade Parshotam of the PTUDC, Akbar Laghari, Chairman of the WAPDA Hydro Union, Amanat Ali, Shafi Mohammad Jamil Shiekh of the Bricks Layers’ Union, Malik Ibraheem, Shareef Shaiekh Waheed of the Municipality Union, Haji Arshad of the Sugar Mills, Comrade Ramesh of Railway Inqilabi Union, Jumma Khan of Food Employees Workers’ Union, Javed Baloch of the People’s Labour Bureau, Manzoor Mehr of the Teachers’ Association, Chacha Tulsi of the Peasants’ Union, Saeed Bhai of the PTCL, Rajkumar Santosh Kumar of YFIS, Comrade Mangal and Comrade Cheena of the women’s wing addressed the rally.

The rally passes the following resolutions:

1- that Comrade Shahbaz Pholpoto of WAPDA be reinstated immediately.
2- that the wages of the brick layers be increased to match the cost of living.
3- that teachers dismissed in 1998 be reinstated.
4- that workers’ quotas are honoured and that all anti-labour laws are reversed immediately.
5- the right to unionisation.

The PTUDC organized a mass rally from Hyderabad Chowk to the Press Club, which represented hundreds of workers from the Railway Workers’ Union, WAPDA, the Municipality Union, the HDA, the PTA and the Paramedical Staff Union. Khalid Amjd of the HDA, Eesar Daas of the PTUDC and Munawar Pitafi of the Paramedical Staff Union addressed the rally.

The PTUDC from Bagh (Kashmir) along with an unregistered workers’ union organized a mass meeting, which was chaired by Sardar Farooq. Javaid Afridi was the guest speaker. Ibrahim Qureshi, Mushtaq Gardezi, Comrade Raja Yaseen, Comrade Shahid of the PTUDC and Sibt-e-Hasan addressed the meeting.

YFIS organized the May Day rally in Thari Meer Wah. Hundreds of workers and youth participated in the rally, which rounded the entire town, chanting revolutionary slogans. n The rally was transformed into a mass meeting on the Fazil Rahu Shaeed Chowk. Aarif Nawaz Shar, Raheem Baloch and Sharjeel Shar of YFIS, Qamarudin Peerzada of the Sindh Haari Committee and Najam Jogi of Awami Tehreek addressed the rally, which ended at the Press Club.

Balochistan Province

The rally rounds the city

The People’s Labour Bureau rally was one of the main rallies in which the Balochistan Schoolteachers’ Union, the PTUDC, the Balochistan Journalists’ Union, the Public Health Employees Union, the Quetta City Employees Union, the Yellow Cab Association, the PSF, the BNT and YFIS all participated. The rally then became a mass meeting which was chaired by Malik Imtiaz Mehfooz, the provincial president of the People’s Labour Bureau. Sajid Lodhi, Khair Mohammad Shaheen, Abdulsalam, the provincial president of the BSTU, Nadeem Murad of the Labour Workers’ Federation, Sulatn of the Journalists’ Union, Mazdoor Yaar of the Public Health Union, Comrade Shakeela Baloch, Nisar, the provincial organizer of the BNT, Riaz Akhtar Awan, the provincial information secretary of the Sindh PLB, Irfan of the Unemployed Engineers Association, Ali Khatak, the district president of the PPP, Saadullah Shah, the provincial information secretary of the PPP, Comrade Nazar Mangal, the provincial General Secretary of the PLB and Ali Raza Mangol, the district organizer of the PTUDC addressed the meeting.

May day in Khuzdar was celebrated by the Workers’ Alliance. A rally was organized which rounded the city’s main roads.

The Qalat PTUDC in collaboration with the Joint Workers’ Alliance organized a meeting in the Town Committee Meeting Hall. The leaders and workers from the Government Teachers’ Association, the B&R, NOPE, APCA, the Town Committee Union, the Public Health Union, the Agriculture Union and the Paramedical Staff Union, the BSO, YFIS, the National Party, the BNP (Awami), the PPP and other groups joined the meeting. Ishaq Meerwani chaired while Abdulsatar Shahwani, president of the Joint Workers’ Alliance and Aziz Mughal, sub-divisional local body chairman were guests of honour. Muneer Ahmad of the BSO, Comrade Waheed Baloch, Comrade Rehman of the PTUDC, Noorudin Mangal of the BNP, Rasheed Baloch of the National Party, Mohammad Yaseen of the Teachers’ Association, Haji dad Mehr of NOPE, Nisaar Ahmad of the Agriculture Union, Mohammad Qasim and Khudaay Noor addressed the meeting.

At the meeting after the rally in Sadiqabad

All the labour organizations in Sadigabad celebrated May Day with great enthusiasm. The PTUDC invited all labour organizations to participate and a rally was started with red flags and revolutionary slogans which passed from the Ghaosiya Chowk and ended with a mass meeting. Comrade Nasir Jamal, Comrade Abas Taaj, Nawab din Lashari of the FFC, Mohammad Ashraf of the United Sugar Mills, Sajaad Hasan of the Sanitary Workers’ Union, Dr. Abdullah Laghari, Rana Arshad Javaid of the Union of Journalists, Nadim But of the Inqilabi Riksha Union, Mustafa Qadri, Dr. Munir Ahmad of the PPP, Zia But, Arshad Sajan Maseeh, Comrade Shahid Aazar, Raees Kajal and Comrade Qamruzaman Khan of the PTUDC spoke at the meeting.

Addressing the rally in Kotadu

Mazhar Husain of the Teachers’ Union, Farooq of the WAPDA Hydro Union, Sheikh Ayaz of the Rairhi Union and Comrade Aamir Latif of YFIS spoke at the meeting. A mass rally then followed the meeting.

A seminar was held on May Day in the district bar room. Zafar Iqbal chaired the seminar while Gulam Nabi Malik of the Pakistan Railway Union and the PTUDC was the guest of honour. Workers from the public and private sector attended the event with enthusiasm. Qais Salimi, organizer of AEPCA, Shaokat Ali president of APCA, Bismillah Iram a local general councillor, Ikram Aabid, General Secretary of the PPP, Talib Hussain, and Ghulam Abbas Siyal, both prominent local peasant leaders spoke at the seminar.

The seminar passed the following resolutions:

1- Wages must be raised to match the cost of living.
2- All cases against the railway union leaders must be ended.
3- All anti-labour laws, including the IRO 2002, law 2A, and law 27B must be reversed immediately.
4- Widows of workers must be granted full pensions.
5- Workers’ pensions must be increased by 100%.
6- Farm workers must be given the right of unionisation.
7- A referendum in Pakistan Railway must be launched immediately.

Another May Day meeting in Khanewal was held by Youth for International Socialism in collaboration with the People’s Youth Organization. Comrade Kararhaider chaired the meeting while Rana Musarat, Ata Mohammad, Malik Ismaeel, Malik Altaf Khokhar, and Arslan Haider were the guests of honour. Kashif Habib, Faisal, Sohail Qureshi, Altaf Hussain and Azam Khan also addressed the meeting and highlighted the need for the international labour movement to struggle against neo-liberalism.

The PTUDC organized a May Day event in Pakistan’s largest industrial city. Workers from various industrial units, the Communist Party and the Mazdoor Kisan Party also participated and demanded better working conditions.

The PTUDC and the PPP organized a May Day meeting in Jampur. Comrade Rauf Lund, Comrade Haji Qadeer, Comrade Shazia Aabid, and Comrade Aabid Malik addressed the meeting and gave tribute to the struggle of the working class against oppression. They also gave tribute to Manzoor Ahmed MP for his efforts to struggle against the policies of the ruling class.

Marching through Rahimyarkhan

The PTUDC and the Anti-Labour Laws Committee organized a rally to celebrate May Day. Comrade Manzoor Ahmed, president of the PTUDC and Member of the National Assembly led the rally. Workers from the All-Qasur Power Looms Association, the People’s Labour Bureau, the Habib Bank Union, the Union of Journalists, NOPE, AEPCA, the Shoe Makers’ Union, the Taanga Rairhi Union, the Sanitary Workers’ Union, the PSF and YFIS participated in the rally which then became a mass meeting at the main railway station. Mohamad Aslam, Mehr Ramzan, Lala Ilyas, Ghulam Haidar, Comrade Tariq and Comrade Manzoor Ahmed MNA spoke at the meeting and committed themselves to the struggle until the final victory.

The All-Pakistan Workers Confederation, with the collaboration of the WAPDA Hydro Union, the Murree Brewery Workers’ Union, the CBA, the Attok Oil Refinery Workers’ Union and the PTUDC organized a meeting at the Press Club. Comrade Irshad of the PTUDC, Comrade Nazar Shah of the Murree Brewery Workers’ Union, Zafar Niyazi and Akram Bunda of the All-Pakistan Workers Confederation addressed the meeting.

The People’s Labour Bureau and the PTUDC jointly organized a May Day rally which went from the main railway station to Laxmi Chowk. More than 400 workers participated in the rally, waving red flags in their hands as they chanted revolutionary slogans. These slogans were so loud and enthusiastic that Asif Ali Zardari, Benazir Bhutoo’s husband, was forced to raise these slogans at the rally. He also promised a return to founding documents and manifesto of the PPP.

Lok Mahaaz (the People’s Front) organized the May Day event here. Comrade Ilyas Ameen, Comrade Ahmad Nawaz Watu, Ahmad Hasan of Mahaaz and Ghulam Dastgeer spoke to the meeting which was attended by many workers and peasants.

This demonstrated the PTUDC’s increasing influence among workers and in the labour movement. The PTUDC is gaining more and more influence in the labour movement and will be able to unite the working class in the fight against the policies of the ruling class. The policies have made life for the masses a living hell, and the masses are coming to their own conclusion from their own bitter experiences. The masses are realizing that it is the working class itself that must struggle for a better life and a better future Long live the international socialist revolution!

The May Day rally was organized in Peshwar by the All-Pakistan Workers’ Confederation. Workers gathered at the historical Chowk at the start of the rally, which was led by Comrade Gul Rehman, Comrade Zakir Husain, Comrade Iqbal, Comrade Ajmal Khan, Comrade Ejaz Mohmand, Comrade Idrees Kamal and comrade Liaqat Baacha. The speakers explained that the oppressors are united but that the oppressed are not. The working class cannot rely on the ruling class to resolve their problems and must unite and struggle for their rights and for the socialist transformation of society. Comrade Sartaaj Mohamed read a revolutionary poem, which motivated the participants. The meeting then marched to the Provincial Assembly and held a sit down protest.

The following resolutions were passed:

1- The recent rises in prices must be reduced immediately
2- Wages must be increased to meet the necessities of life
3- The notorious IRO 2002 must be reversed
4- The unpaid wages of the workers in the Saleem Sugar Mills, the Mardan Sugar Mills, the Khazana Sugar Mills, the Takhtbhai Sugar Mills and the Cherat Cement Plant must be paid immediately
5- Unfair checking and treatment of rickshaw and taxi drivers by the police must be stopped.

The PTUDC organized a May Day event which was attended by workers and peasants from all around the area. Comrade Shabir Rehman, Comrade Naseem Jaan of the PTUDC, Comrade Zakir Husain, Comrade Nadir Khan of the Mazdoor Kisaan Party, Comrade Altaf Baacha, Comrade Abdul Hanaan, Comrade Subhaanalah and Comrade Farmaanullah spoke at the meeting and highlighted the issues facing the workers and peasants.

May day was celebrated here with great enthusiasm. The People’s Labour Bureau organized the event which was held in the local PPP office. Labour leader Riaz Ali Shah chaired the meeting while Gul Hameed Khan, district president of the PPP, was the guest of honour. Sarwar Khan Sarhadi, chairman of the PLB, Qazi Aasif, Comrade Manzoor, Raja Sultan, Waheed, Malik Saeed Akhtar, Shiekh Nisar, president of the local PPP, Mian Tariq, Ibrar Sidiqi deputy for Nazim City, Abdul-Rehman and Nasrullah Bhutto were among the speakers. They demanded that the PPP adopt its founding manifesto. The meeting also passed a resolution to abolish all anti-labour laws.

The PTUDC and the BNT hosted a May Day event in the Muzafarabad Press Club. The workers of an unregistered employees’ union, the Human Rights Commission, the PWD workers’ association, the Paramedical Staff Association, the APCA, the Postal Services Union and the JKNSF participated in the meeting. Naveed Qamar, General Secretary of AIMS (paramedical), Aslam Mughal of the Government Printing Press, Abdul Qayum, the National General Secretary of the PWD workers’ union, Farooq Niyazi of the Human Rights Commission, Shujaat Kazmi, the former national president of the JKNSF and district organizer of the BNT, Comrade Saeed Khan of the Education Department, Comrade Riaz and Bashir Daar addressed the meeting.

The meeting unanimously approved the following demands:

1- All anti-labour laws must be reversed immediately.
2- Workers wages must be raised to match price hikes.
3- All daily and temporary workers in government institutions must be given permanent positions.
4- The privatisation of government institutions must be reversed.
5- All unemployed youth must be given jobs or awarded Rs 3500 unemployment allowance.
6- Disputes involving journalists and lawyers must be resolved.
7- The class based education system must be abolished.
8- Comrade Shahbaaz Pholpoto of Sindh, who was suspended from his job, must be reinstated immediately.

 

The PTUDC in Rawalakot organized a May Day event in conjunction with all other associations, trade unions and progressive student organizations including the PWD workers’ union, the APCA, the Teachers’ Union, the Transport Association, the Barber Association, the Union of Journalists, the Daily and Temporary Workers Union. Leaders and workers of the JKPSO, the JKPSF, the JKLSF, the JKNSF, the PPP and the JKPP also participated. More than 400 people were at the rally which passed from the district courts and rounded the entire city. Revolutionary slogans were sung by enthusiastic youth. A mass meeting was then held at the end of the rally.

Khalid Babar of the PTUDC, Raja Ejaz, the former senior vice chairman of the PSF, Shoaib Shaam, Nadeem of the JKNSF, Ejaz Siddiqi, Imtiaz Siddiq of the PSF, Sohail Rafiq organizer of the BNT, Sardar Imtiaz, the district president of APCA, Sardar Arshad of the PWD workers’ union, Mohamad Lateef of the Paramedical Staff association, Professor Saeed, Sardar Azeem of the PPP, Kaleem Afzal of the JKPP, Sardar Pervez of the PSO, Ibraheem of the KSLF, Sardar Azad of the Forest Association, Khalid, the president of the Unregistered Workers’ Union, Ghulam Nabi of the Daily Wage

Workers and Comrade Ajmal Rasheed of the JKNSF addressed the rally.

The PTUDC in Bagh held a seminar on May Day in a hotel in Bagh City along with the Organization of Unregistered Employees and the JKNSF. Sardar Farooq, the district president of the Organization of Unregistered Employees chaired the seminar while Javaid Afridi, was the guest of honour. The speakers explained the miserable living and working conditions of the workers and youth and put forward a clear Marxist program as the only way out of these appalling conditions. Comrade Raja Yaseen, the district organizer of the PTUDC and Comrade Shahid also addressed the seminar.

May Day was a great success this year in Pakistan. The PTUDC was able to organize May Day meetings all across Pakistan. This clearly shows the growing influence of the PTUDC. The participation of hundreds and thousands of workers in May Day events around the country, marching through cities, participating in mass meetings, and singing revolutionary songs shows the change in the consciousness of the working class that is occurring throughout the country. The workers are drawing their own conclusions through their experiences in the workplace. The only thing the workers have to lose is their chains! Long live the international socialist revolution!

May 1, 2005

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