By Farooq Sulehria
LAHORE — The Labour Party Pakistan (LPP) organised a demonstration outside the US consulate here on March 22 to protest against the visit to Pakistan of US President Bill Clinton.
Three days earlier, Pakistan's military government had banned political parties, demonstrations and strikes. General Pervaiz Musharraf, the military dictator who calls himself the chief executive, said the ban was due to Clinton's visit.
The demonstration was the only action against Clinton's visit and the first since the ban on demonstrations. Even the Islamic fundamentalists welcomed the Clinton, claiming that he was a guest. They did not want to contradict Pakistan's military rulers.
The LPP was to hold the demonstration with another left party, the Communist Workers and Peasants Party (CMKP), but on March 21 the CMKP pulled out, fearing a police crackdown. An initial plan to minimise arrests by allowing only five people to demonstrate was changed to allow more than 50 participants due to the many requests by LPP members to attend.
The demonstrators marched on the consulate shouting slogans against US imperialism and carrying placards stating, "Clinton go home" and "Clinton, killer of Iraqi children".
The demonstration attracted a lot of international and national media and many passers-by, some of whom flashed a "V" for victory. Others stayed to listen to speeches by LPP leaders.
LPP chairperson Shoaib Bhatti told those present that Clinton hoped to push pro-imperialist economic policies on the region which would add to the poverty and exploitation of the people. LPP general secretary Farooq Tariq appealed to the trade unions and working class of India, Pakistan and the region to take action and criticised the hypocrisy of the Islamic fundamentalist Jamaat-i-Islami, which claims to be anti-imperialist but welcomed the US president. Tariq also demanded that Pakistan's military return to barracks and allow fresh elections.
On March 24, the LPP held a public meeting in Karachi, in Pakistan's south, to protest Clinton's visit. The actions have enhanced the LPP's reputation as the most committed opponent of the military regime.