PAKISTAN: 5000 attend social forum

Farooq Tariq, Lahore

The Pakistan Social Forum (PSF) was held on January 12 at Lahore Alhumra halls. More than 5000 people participated in the event, making it one of the largest gatherings of progressive forces in Pakistan in recent times. A rally was also organised afterwards in the centre of Lahore.

Left-wing parties, trade unions and peasant associations, and radical non-government organisations united to pull the event off. Significant leaders of the workers' and peasants' movements were present. The gathering included three plenary sessions, three seminars and several cultural activities. Themes included: peace and democracy, poverty and workers' rights, the unjust distribution of world resources, an agenda for social change and preparations for the World Social Forum in Mumbai, India, beginning January 16.

At the rally, Asthma Jehangir, former chairperson of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, attacked the religious fundamentalists' alliance with Pakistan's military dictatorship. She condemned US imperialism and urged the enthusiastic participants to organise themselves in a new movement of all progressive forces.

Other speakers included Irfam Mufti, secretary of the PSF, Nisar Shah, chairperson of the Labour Party Pakistan, Ahmed Newaz Watto of the National Workers' Party, Fazal Wahid of the Railway Workers' Union and Mohamed Yaqoob of the Pakistan Workers' Confederation.

Earlier, police attempted to prevent the holding of the rally until formal permission was granted by the mayor of Lahore.

[Farooq Tariq is general-secretary of the Labour Party Pakistan.]

From Green Left Weekly, January 21, 2004.

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From GLW issue 567