Dear all!
We are now on our way back from a May Day election public meeting held in Faisalabad this evening, that would leave its mark on many for long time.
Baba Najmi, an internationally renowned Punjabi poet, Maqsood Mujahid member LPP Federal Committee, Khalid Mehmood, director Labour Education Foundation came from Lahore to attend Labour Qaumi Movement May Day public meeting at Suddar. This is an area where Labour Party Pakistan has nominated Mian Qayum to contest a bye election to be held on 15 May.
Over 5000 participated and were full of revolutionary zeal. The class conscious was at it best. The high point of the rally was towards he end when a finance appeal by Mian Qayum and myself brought thousands of Rupees. When we left, the counting was on and we do not know how much it would be. There were long line of people wanting to give money.
The appeal came after Mian Qayum said in his speech that parties of the rich are wondering about the financing of my elections because I am a worker. He said that they are also ramsing that some intelligence agencies are funding my campaign. “I want to tell them that here are my agencies, sitting in front of me in thousands who are behind my campaign”. Here I got up and gave Rupees 500 for the campaign and appealed to every on to donate with a slogan that we will give note (rupees notes) and vote. Then started a spontaneous response that was not seen earlier by many.
A workers commented to me while we were leaving the place that LPP reviving PPP seventies revolutionary traditions.
Earlier, Baba Najmi thrilled the crowd by his revolutionary poems. I spoke about the arguments of the candidates contesting against us. The PPP candidate is appealing to the voters that if he is elected, he will definitely a provincial minister and then he is in a better position to solve the problems. I said that we know how much miseries these ministers have brought to the lives of peoples and we know it for sure that another minister means more problems for the workers.
I also took up the case of collaboration of PPP and PMLN and said that here is this constituency the ruling class is fighting each other to win this seat but at national level, they are united on privatization, new liberal agenda and imperialist attacks in tribal areas. Fortunately, here in this constituency only one candidate from working class.
I spoke about the rising price hike, unemployment and no wage increase. Very good response and slogans were raised again and again by the crowed. I spoke of the challenges to the working class and an opportunity to make a difference.
Mian Qayum said that he is poor and a worker but not a weak person. We know how to deal the gangsters. Workers are with us and our seven year struggle has brought positive results for the workers. We have formed unions and will do so in future as well. He said he is contesting election with an aim of workers mp on a workers wage.
Arif from Workers Party Pakistan gave a message of Abid Hassan Minto, president WPP who had announced a May Day rally in Faisalabad that they will fully support LPP candidate from this constituency.
This was one of the memorable meeting that has brought a revolutionary spirit to many. The meeting place was jam packed all the time. This was also the largest election rally so far in this constituency.
Can we win the seat? It is very difficult to say despite the massive. Rally today. The parties of the rich will use all the state and private power to win the seat. It is bye election and also a matter of prestige for PPP and PMLN. But the rally has shown that were in the race and with a good numbers. It has shown that we are here to stay.
Farooq Tariq
Spokesperson
Labour Party Pakistan