This article was first published in the Pakistani daily, Dawn Metropolitan (Friday, April 23, 2004) under the title “Pakistan can learn from Venezuelan experience: MNA”. It is a report of a press conference held by Pakistani Marxist MP Manzoor Ahmed on his recent visit to Venezuela for the Second International Conference in Solidarity with the Bolivarian Revolution. We are publishing it to make it available to a wider international readership. (April 23, 2004)

Members of the National Assembly Qamar Zaman Kaira and Chuadry Manzoor Ahmed have submitted two resolutions directly related to the real issues in society and the problems faced by the working classes in Pakistan. The first resolution is for the total repealing of the anti workers ordinance IRO 2002 (Industrial Relations Ordinance 2002). This was imposed by the Musharaf dictatorship at the behest of the IMF and other Imperialist institutions to raise the profitability and exploitation of the multinational corporations in Pakistan. This ordinance even deprives the workers in Pakistan of the meagre rights they had attained after the revolutionary movement of 1968-69. It

By. Chaudhry Manzoor Ahmed
(Member National Assembly of Pakistan)

Specific historical events give rise to populist leaders and movements. When these movements are organized around a revolutionary leadership that adopts scientific methods based on the ideas of Marxism, it can then lead to the transformation of society and of the whole epoch. However, during such extraordinary revolutionary periods, if the social transformation of society fails to take place, there follows a period of reaction, breeding barbarism, oppression, poverty, and backwardness.

On March 24 the PTUDC (Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign) held a meeting in Lahore, which was attended by more than 300 PTUDC leaders and members who came from all over the country.

At ten o'clock this morning at the Kayani Hall, the High Court in Lahore, Alan Woods delivered a lecture on the war in Iraq and the role of imperialism to the Lahore High Court Bar Association, the most prestigious lawyers elected body of lawyers in Pakistan. It is without precedent that a foreign Marxist should be invited to address this body.

In Multan, the biggest city of the Southern Punjab, Youth for International Socialism and the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign recently organised an anti-war rally. It was the third rally they had organised in Multan in which hundreds of trade unionists, students’ unions, the Bar association, and PPP workers participated with banners and placards against the war.

The masses are on the streets

YFIS-Pakistan rally against imperialist aggression in Multan

As the imperialist barbarism has started its death game in Iraq it has shaken the whole world, especially the youth and working class and the general mood has been transformed.

The contradictions and interests of the almighty monopolies have been exposed with all their brutality. Resentment has developed on a global scale against this monstrous behaviour and the crushing role of capitalism. World opinion is being shaped and guided towards a unanimous and general conclusion, that the capitalist system no longer has a progressive and productive

Yesterday in Islamabad, Alan Woods, editor of the Socialist Appeal and the marxist.com web site, addressed a meeting of 70 people on the question of the war against Iraq and the world situation. The majority of the audience were members of parliament - including 35 members of the National Assembly, two members of the Punjab Provincial Assembly, and one senator.

Alan Woods, editor of marxist.com, is on a speaking tour of Pakistan and the following article, written by the well-known columnist Munno Bai, appeared in today's (March 18) edition of the Jang. This is the biggest daily paper in Pakistan, published in Lahore, Karachi, Rawalpindi, Quetta and Multan.

We have received this report from the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC) on the terrible conditions faced by one of the most downtrodden sectors, the agricultural labourers. The PTUDC is taking a courageous stand in their campaign to organise them into a union.