Pakistan

These twin cities are the capital of Pakistan. The PTUDC meeting was organized here on the 19th of October. Being a Friday (the holy day of Muslims) it was supposed to be a day of rallies of the Islamic fundamentalists. Yet no rally of the Islamic parties on that day was as large as the anti-war public meeting which took place under the banner of the PTUDC at the press club in Liaquat Gardens in the heart of Rawalpindi city. Three hundred and twenty-five people participated in this meeting. All the main trade unions were represented.

These are the latest reports of the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign's activities against imperialism and fundamentalism. Of particular importance is the report of the meeting in Kashmir, which has always been a stronghold of fundamentalism (which opperates with the support of the Pakistani secret services). A meeting took place in Muzaffarabad, the capital of Pakistani controlled Kashmir, and 200 university students organised a spontaneous demosntration to march to the meeting hall. Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (www.ptudc.org) report.

Lahore :Wednesday 10 October 2001.

The meeting was organized at the traditional left hall and café, the Pak Tea House. About 75 people attended the meeting. The majority of them were trade union activists and leaders. Youth, students and women workers also participated. The meeting was presided by the veteran trade union leader and chairman of the PTUDC in Punjab, comrade Amin Bhatti. The topic of the meeting was: The present war and the role of the working class. Two days before, the PTUDC poster was flyposted in all the main areas of Lahore. 

An anti-war meeting was held by the PTUDC in this highly industrialised town. The topic was "The Present World Crisis and the role of the Working Class". The majority of those attending were trade unionists and political activists. Youth, students and women also participated.

Under the slogan “Only the class struggle can decisively defeat the madness of fundamentalist terrorism and imperialist barbarism”, about 150 trade union workers, students, PPP workers and women attended a meeting organised by the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (www.ptudc.org) in Multan, Southern Punjab.

The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign (PTUDC) have launched their own web site. The PTUDC has been campaigning for the defence of trade union rights in Pakistan for a number of years. Now the situation has become even more complicated with the war against Afghanistan. The PTUDC has condemned terrorism, but is also actively campaigning against the war inside Pakistan itself. Thus they face the wrath of both the state authorities and the Islamic fundamentalists. They need your help in their campaigning work. You can help by publicising their material and by going to ...

"In the first decade of “the end of history” and the “new world order” the “only super power” in the world is yet again engaged in another major war of aggression. As the missiles and bombs of the imperialist assault devastate the already ruined and rugged landscape of this unfortunate country, its impact will go far beyond the borders of Afghanistan. The echelons of power and the regimes across Asia are trembling in their shoes. These already decaying states are being shaken to their foundations. Starting from the Pakistan dictatorship the rulers of the whole region terrified about the fate of their rule." Editorial of the Autumn...

K.A.Khan Kashmari, the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign organiser in Quetta reports on the demonstrations and clashes against US aggression in Afghanistan and the general mood of the workers there.

As the war starts in Afghanistan we publish this report from the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign dealing with the situation of the trade unions in Pakistan. The PTUDC is campaigning for workers' rights and both against Islamic fundamentalism and US imperialism. The statement is signed by 35 leading trade union activists from all over the country and contains an appeal for help and solidarity. The In Defence of Marxism web site endorses this appeal and asks all its supporters to make a financial donation

Three public meetings were recently organised by the PTUDC in Pakistan to protest the impending Imperialist attack on Pakistan and the terrorism perpetrated by the Islamic fundamentalist organisations. They were held in in Hyderabad, Thatta and at the Pakistan Steel Mills near Karachi. The meetings were attended by hundreds of workers who resolved to launch an anti-war campaign throughout the country and also made an appeal to workers in Europe for support.

 Three public meetings were recently organised by the PTUDC to protest the impending Imperialist attack on Pakistan and the terrorism perpetrated by the Islamic fundamentalist organisations. The first Meeting was held in the main city hall in Hyderabad, the main city of Sindh. More than three hundred people attended the meeting. They were mainly students from the three main universities of Sindh. The meeting was presided by the veteran left intellectual from Sindh, Comrade Ibrahim Joyo. The main speakers were Mohammad Khan Ahmadani, Chairman of the PTUDC, Sindh, and the editor of the Sindhi Marxist Paper ‘Class Struggle’ and Lal Khan the editor of the Asian Marxist Review. The

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We have received two reports on further anti-Trade Union repression in Pakistan. The regime is adamant on removing militant trade union leaders who are daring to challenge their plans to carry out privatisations and mass sackings. These comrades need your help. Please take up this issue urgently inside your trade union branch. Get messages of protest sent. And raise the funds needed to keep this campaign going! In these reports you will find an update on the situation in the Pakistan Postal Sector and a short report on more anti-trade union measures being taken by the regime against the Karachi steel workers. These reports were sent to us from the Pakistan Trade Union Defence...

We have received two reports on further anti-Trade Union repression in Pakistan. The regime is adamant on removing militant trade union leaders who are daring to challenge their plans to carry out privatisations and mass sackings. These comrades need your help. Please take up this issue urgently inside your trade union branch. Get messages of protest sent. And raise the funds needed to keep this campaign going! In these reports you will find an update on the situation in the Pakistan Postal Sector and a short report on more anti-trade union measures being taken by the regime against the Karachi steel workers. These reports were sent to us from the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign

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The Military regime in Pakistan has completely banned trade union activities in the Postal Sector. All union offices have been closed down. The collection of union funds has been declared illegal. No union can organise any meeting. If any worker dares to participate in any union activity, he can be sacked without any notice or explanation. The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign is organising a fightback. They need your support. For details of what you can do to help read this article now!

The Military regime in Pakistan has completely banned trade union activities in the Postal Sector. All union offices have been closed down. The collection of union funds has been declared illegal. No union can organise any meeting. If any worker dares to participate in any union activity, he can be sacked without any notice or explanation. The Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign is organising a fightback. They need your support. For details of what you can do to help read this article now!

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