"Without changing the whole system we cannot get rid of privatisation, downsizing, deregulation, poverty, crimes, suicide attempts. The harsh policies of the state can only be dealt with by unity of the working class. We reject the privatisation of public schools and we fully support the struggle of the teachers' association who are waging a war against the policy of the present military regime. This regime wishes to deprive working class children from getting any kind of education."

These were the words of Aamir Sadiq (YFIS Pakistan) who was opening a public meeting organised under the auspices of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign to pay tribute to "comrade Hameed Khan and all Quetta trade unionists' heroic struggle" held on July 18 at the traditional left venue Shezan on the Mall Lahore. Over 100 participants from different trade unions and political parties attended this meeting.

Speaking on the occasion Comrade Kaleem Khan (Organiser, YFIS Quetta) highlighted the grim miseries faced by the workers of Civil Secretariat Quetta. He also gave eyewitness reports of the brutal military repression which was meted out to the striking workers of Quetta to the listening public. Comrade Kaleem Khan also condemned the privatisation of public schools and colleges by the Musharraf dictatorship. He also emphasised the need for a student-worker alliance against all the crushing policies of the present regime.

Comrade Azeem (YFIS, University of the Punjab) recited a revolutionary poem to express the miseries of the working class and the remedy. The audience applauded the poem with slogans "Down to the Capitalism" and "Revolution - Revolution Socialist Revolution".

Comrade Khalid Bhatti (National Organiser, PTUDC) paid his tributes on behalf of PTUDC as a whole to the tremendous and heroic struggle waged by Hameed Khan and all the Quetta trade unionists. He pointed out that this struggle shows that the correct ideology and leadership can change the course of all kinds of tides of repression, ordeals and victory can be won through believing in the working class. He gave details of the current crisis of capitalism and imperialism along with the political crisis ranging in South Asia and the world as a whole. Calling on trade unionists to break the silence, he referred to the courageous struggle by Comrade Hameed Khan as paving the way, and that this dictatorship is weaker, but the trade union leaders are making it look like stronger by not participating in the political arena. We the representatives of the working class can change the rotten system by actively participating in the politics. Trade unionism is the politics of the working class or it is nothing, he said.

Lala Hanif (Central Secretary General Lines Staff Union PTCL) addressing the meeting stressed the importance of workers unity and explained that the workers of his union participated actively in demonstrations against the repression of the military regime in a show of solidarity with the striking workers of Quetta, shredding the nationalist rhetoric against the workers of the Punjab. He also said that the workers of Punjab will not hesitate in showing solidarity with their brothers anywhere in Pakistan and beyond. He also paid his tributes to all the trade unionists around the world who showed their solidarity with the striking workers of Quetta. He also pointed out that this particular unity bowed the regime to its feet.

Comrade Shahida Jabeen (Patron PTUDC, Central Secretary General PPP women wing) chanted the slogans of Socialist Revolution at the start of her speech. She attacked the current military regime in her characteristic fashion. She criticised the military regime as a stooge of imperialism and capitalism. She also pointed out that so-called "True Democracy" wished by the military regime is false. She said that its days are numbered and the Musharraf dictatorship will be overthrown by the working class of Pakistan in the near future, given the correct revolutionary leadership. PTUDC is such a platform that can deliver this and the struggle of Hameed Khan shows that it can be trusted in all turbulent times.

Comrade Hameed Khan was given a standing ovation when he reached the rostrum to deliver his speech. He summarised the conditions of the workers of Civil Secretariat Quetta and their will which compelled them to strike and struggle. He said the workers were dragged to the limits beyond which there was nothing else left to do except to strike for their survival. They have shown us that struggle is the only option which can emancipate workers from all miseries, exploitation and nationalist provocations and this can only be achieved through Socialist Revolution.

PTUDC has waged a war for the working class of Pakistan, and will sacrifice blood for its cause when it will come on our shoulders. He said that the unity of the working class is like writing on the wall nowadays, and we have to equipped ourselves with the revolutionary ideology of Marxism which can guarantee a victory for the entire human race. He sharply criticized the imperial aggression in Afghanistan. He pointed out that the instalment of Hamid Karzai's stooge government after the outdated Loya Jirga has resolved nothing but justified the imperialist aggression and fuelled the warlords' adversaries to drag Afghanistan into chaos and civil war.

He also referred that the situation in Afghanistan is as bleak as ever and is dragging the whole of the region into further destruction. The emancipation of the people of Afghanistan is linked tightly to the socialist revolution in Pakistan. He also reported to the audience that when he and his fellow jailed inmates were appearing before the Anti-Terrorist Court (ATC) in Quetta, they came across with the newspaper report of the demonstration in Lahore, and all the inmates in the judicial lockup burst into tears. All the inmates were shocked and so happy to read this report.

They condemned the nationalist rhetoric by chanting slogans of brotherhood in all nationalities. Comrade Hameed Khan paid his tributes of cordial appreciation of solidarity campaign by Marxist.com and all the trade unions and youth around the globe, and that this campaign played a vital role in the struggle. He demanded that all striking workers of Quetta should have their jobs reinstated. He was given a standing ovation again by the workers, youth and women in the audience.

The meeting was quite a mixture of youth, workers, students and women. About 20 women participated in this meeting. The meeting was conducted by Yassar Irshad (Organiser, YFIS Lahore). Comrade Muzamil (YFIS Lahore) and Comrade Asif (a veteran of the 1968-69 movement) stirred the meeting with their revolutionary poems.

Report by Saqlain Shah (Executive Editor, Asian Marxist Review)

Additional reporting by Aamir Sadiq (YFIS Pakistan) and Vicky (The Struggle)

July 18, 2002