Pakistani peasants rally against frame-up

More than 10,000 peasants rallied on August 4 in Okara, Punjab demanding the withdrawal of false charges of murder against the leaders of Tenant Association of Punjab (AMP).

This was one of the largest rallies ever organised by the tenants working at military farms in Okara.

Nineteen leaders of AMP are falsely accused in a murder case by a small splinter group of AMP, which is backed by the landlords.

AMP general secretary Mehr Abdul Sattar stated that some people who had lost all support among the tenants were using the murder of Javid Masih to create religious hatred among Muslims and Christians.

Both communities have lived in the area for more than 100 years in harmony. The efforts of a small group to use a murder during the recent general election to enhance the gulf between people of different religions would will fail, Abdul Sattar said. He said that AMP will not abandon the fight for land rights.

"We know it for sure that some military generals are backing the splinter group against us", he added.

[Farooq Tariq is a spokesperson for the Labour Party Pakistan. Reprinted from Socialist Pakistan News.]

From GLW issue 762