It was a rare chance in the recent history of the Left in Pakistan that a
party could mobilize so many in a defiant demonstration on 6^th December.
This was done by Labour Party Pakistan against WTO, privatization and the
military regime. The rally was organized in solidarity with the
international movement against the whole WTO process.

Over 5000 gathered. The police and the ongoing public and shopkeepers were
astonished to see the numbers of workers coming from all different shades of
industry and institutions.

There were a large number of workers from brick kilns and they came from
several different districts. They are most exploited section of the working
class in Pakistan. Most of them are bonded and are subject to all sorts of
humiliations by the brick kiln bosses. They were asked by their newly formed
union Pakistan Bhatta Mazdoor Union. Several hundreds of them traveled many
hours to reach Lahore. Many were stopped by their bosses and were not
allowed to leave their work places.

A large number of women were mobilized by Women Workers Help Line, an
organization set up by members and supporters of Labour Party Pakistan. They
were all from absolute poor section of the community. The WWHL works to
mobilize women to be active in the trade unions and in the communities.

There were hundreds of workers from a cycle factory and from public
engineering sector institutions. Railway workers who came to participate in
the demonstration or were planning to come have been served notices from the
administration. There were also a large numbers of LPP activists who came
from different districts of Punjab. Also were over 100 main leaders of LPP
from Sind, North West Frontier Province, Gilget and Kashmir who had
participated in 4 days Socialist school from 3^rd to 6^th December.

The rally started from Shimla Pehari Lahore, a place near the American
Consulate and near Lahore Press Club. The police has not allowed any of the
demonstration to move in recent time apart from the little park area. The
normal practice of demonstration are that get together here and then the
press comes to take the photographs. Normally the demonstration is over
after a while. But it was different this time.

The time of the demonstration was 3pm but workers started coming here around
one o clock. They had started their emotions by raising slogans against the
military regime, privatization and WTO. By 3pm, it was a very unusual sight.
They were in thousands and were still coming in.

Lahore has not seen any big demonstration by any progressive political party
or from the parties of the rich and feudal. Normally, it is the Mullahs who
were able to mobilize during the Iraq war more than this number. Pakistan
Peoples Party, Muslim League or parties associated with Alliance for
Restoration of Democracy (ARD) were never allowed to hold demonstrations
and if they were allowed, they were not able to bring that many on any
demonstration during the last six years of Musharaf regime.

It was emerging of a new workers movement under a party that many have not
taken seriously.

The slogans were mainly against price hike, military regime, privatization,
bonded labour, American imperialism, IMF, World Bank, WTO and capitalists
and feudal. A real militancy was seen during the rally. There were over 1000
red flags flying many hundreds of play cards carrying NO WTO. A very
colorful scene of the demonstration attracted a very good attention of the
public, many of them joined on the way.

Shopkeepers waved and showed signs of victory to the demonstrations. “We
need big demonstration to defeat the military regime” was a comment heard by
several LPP activists during the demonstration. Many police who accompanied
the demonstrators seemed very cooperative as they told us we are also facing
price hike and good to see many numbers. The police did not dare even to
have a negotiation to stop the demonstration. That was the power of the
numbers.

At one time, it was a kilometer long demonstration with all the Abbot Road
full of red flags. Abbot Road is where LPP central secretariat is based. A
truck with load speakers was ahead of the rally raising slogans from the top
of the rally. But the voice could not reach to all the participant of the
rally so different groups within the rally were raising slogans on their
own.

At the Railway Station Lahore the rally was stopped to hear some of the LPP
and trade union activists. Many more joined over here as well. The public
meeting started in front of a mosque. The Noori mosque has seen many
movements in the sixteen and seventies against the military regime and one
or two demonstration during the military dictatorship of General Zia. But
this may be the first large gathering during the last six years against the
regime. Several Rickshaw drivers waved LPP flags on their vehicles and
raised slogans against the growing prices of the oil. While speaking here,
In my speech, apart from other demands to the government, I asked the brick
kiln workers to stop paying the Peshgies, (some money paid in advance to the
workers to keep them bonded). LPP will fight every single case where workers
refuse to pay the amount.

Everyone at the rally felt that they had done some thing useful and that
they are a power. “Workers united will never be defeated” was a slogan that
ended the rally formally.

It was an emergence of a new political forces in the shape of LPP as one the
few political parties in Pakistan that can mobilize that many. On 7^th
December, the Urdu press printed the news but as a routine matter and did
not give the due coverage. Every single Urdu paper carried the photograph or
the news of the rally. But it was not prominent. But it was the English
press that carried color pictures and the news prominently. Daily Times
wrote “thousands” about the numbers of the rally. So was the case of the
“Daily Dawn”. The message is very clear, LPP is here to stay and fight the
military regime and its masters the imperialist forces.
By: Farooq Tariq

Labour Party Pakistan
40 Abbot Road, Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: 92 42 6315162
Email: labourparty gmx.net
www.laborpakistan.org