In 1986 a new, small but flamboyant element had entered the politics of Pakistani left: Struggle Group. It was a group of activists organized around a monthly: Mazdoor Jeddojuhd (Workers Struggle). Formed in 1980 in Netherlands, the Struggle Group was working on enterist policy in the PPP ’since it was a period of fight back for democracy and working class had many illusions in PPP’. In 1986, main Struggle leadership ended its exile and returned to Pakistan as there were limited liberties available now under military dictatorship.
The collapse of Stalinism in Soviet Union shattered the Pakistani left and it almost disappeared. Meantime, the military regime came to an end in 1988 and fresh elections were held. Benazir took oath as the first woman prime minister of a Muslim country only to disillusion the working classes. Disillusionment with PPP and break-up of USSR generated hopelessness and desperation. Mass consciousness went through a big change.
The early 1990’s were a period of counter-revolutionary consciousness in Pakistan giving birth to the rise of religious fundamentalism. The Struggle Group ended the enterist policy in view of its correct perspective that working class would leave the PPP from now on and an alternative should be built. To build this alternative party, it launched Jeddojuhd Inqlabi Tehrik/ Struggle Revolutionary Movement (JIT) in 1993. The JIT was a movement for the formation of a workers party in collaboration with the trade union movement. The JIT leadership had its political schooling in West Europe. It had the model of Europe’s working class parties in mind. It therefore was instrumental in building Pakistan Workers Confederation: a replica of Swedish LO. The JIT wanted this PWC to go beyond to form a party of the workers and for the workers. The PWC was formed in 1994 but it has yet to take such a political turn. If it takes that turn at all. In 1997, after some initial success, JIT formed the Labour Party of Pakistan (LPP).
The LPP has achieved some success since its formation in getting semi-mass basis in some region. Its collaboration with National Trade Union Federation, a major national centre, and its active participation in peasants struggle in Punjab on military farms has helped it build its basis in workers and peasants. It at present has members all across members but main base remains Punjab and Sindh.