LAHORE — On the first anniversary of the military's takeover of the country, national attention was focused on the Lahore Press Club, where over 700 political activists packed into a conference to denounce Pakistan's military rulers and demand the restoration of democracy. So many people came that closed-circuit television was needed for the crowd outside the main hall.
More than 30 political parties participated in the October 12 conference, including the two largest parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party of former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto and the Muslim League, whose former leader Nawaz Sharif was ousted by the military a year ago.
The main organisation of the nationalist parties, the POUNEM, and almost all the left parties, including the Labour Party Pakistan, the Communist Party and the National Workers Party, were also represented. Some trade unions, non-government organisations and peasant groups also participated.
It was the activists of the Pakistan Peoples Party and the Labour Party Pakistan who made up the majority, shouting loud slogan in favour of both parties.
The LPP's red flags encircled the building, while inside the walls were covered with party banners and a massive mural against the military regime inside the hall, making many believe the event was organised solely by LPP.
The conference organising committee included the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan, the LPP, the Social Democratic Movement and the Saraiki National Party.
The conference attracted massive front-page coverage by almost every daily newspaper. Such was its profile that military ruler Pervaiz Musharraf was forced to angrily answer speakers' claims that a bad democracy was better than military dictatorship, saying such ideas were against the national interest.
The conference became the most important and successful event on the anniversary of the takeover. A call by the Muslim League to observe the day as a Black Day was suppressed by the regime, which arrested many dozens of ML activists, including Sharif's wife.
BY FAROOQ SULEHRIA
[Farooq Sulehria is a member of the executive committee of the LPP.]