Building progressive space: we need your support now

Labour Party Pakistan holding its fifth congress on 27-29 January 2010

On 29^th January an international workers peasant’s conference is planned at famous Dhobi Ghat Ground Faisalabad. Over 30,000 are expected to attend

The events are taking place at a time when the parties of the rich have abandoned the working people of Pakistan. They have been left on the mercy of the sheer exploitation of so called free market and the imperialist aggression. Prices are going up and there is no wage increase.

The religious and right wing parties are giving full political support to all the violent actions of the religious fanatics on the name of fighting “imperialism”. The daily drone attacks by Americans are giving some political justifications to the fanatics to carry on.

The space for progressive politics has been saturated by the conflict of right wing parties of the rich and the religious fundamentalism.

The LPP congress and the convening of the mass conference of workers and peasants is an effort to snatch the lost space.

The conference on 29^th January is been organized jointly by Labour Qaumi Movement and Anjaman Mozareen Punjab, the two most militant and mass organizations of the workers and peasants. There is no parallel to the struggle of these two movements in different districts of Punjab.

The event is supported by almost all the progressive forces and parties in Pakistan and the Coordination Committee for Progressive Parties, a committee representing 8 progressive parties have announced a full support and the leaders of these parties including Workers Party Pakistan, Awami Tehreek, National Party, Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party, Awami Jamhoori Forum Sindh Taraqi Pasand Party, and others have confirmed to speak on the occasion.

The main leaders of different social organizations and movements are also speaking at the conference.

One of the main highlight of the conference will be mass participation of working class women. Workers and peasants are bringing their families to the event.

Labour Party Pakistan has been in the forefront of the struggle against the military dictatorship. It has helped labour and social movements to develop.

The main aim of the three days event is to build a progressive space in Pakistani politics. It is new beginning. This is our answer to the rise of religious fundamentalism. Mass mobilizations of the working class will strenghthen their voice and empower them to challenge for their rights.

We all are making financial contribution to these events by all mean. Day and night is been spent by many to build the event. However, we are in desperate need of raising at least 500,000 Rupees ($6000) during the next one week.

We have no rich backers. We need your support now.

We could have raised this amount earlier. However, the children and the families of the four comrades who died on 13 December 2009 in a road accident became a priority of ours. We have raised nearly one million Rupees and an appeal to raise three million is still on its way.

This is an emergency call to all our friends and supports to come to help us. We have all the hope of raising this amount within this week.

Please send your amount on line if you are in Pakistan to

Labour Party Pakistan

Account number 2679-3

MCB Bank,

Beadon Road Branch 0949 Lahore

From outside Pakistan

Account Title: Labour Education Foundation

Account Number: 01801876

Swift: ALFHPKKALDA

Bank: BANK ALFALAH LTD., LDA PLAZA Branch, KASHMIR ROAD, LAHORE, PAKISTAN

Or please send through any mean you consider is ok.

Appeal by :

Nisar Shah, Farooq Tariq, Nazli Jave

Labour Party Pakistan

Yousaf Baluch, Nasir Mansoor

Chairman National Trade Union Federation

Azra Shad, Bushra Khaliq,

Women Workers Help Line

Khalid Mehmood, Niaz Khan

Labour Education Foundation

Kashis Aslam

Progressive Youth Front

Mian Abdul Qayum, Aslam Meraj, Nasim

Labour Qaumi Movement

Nadeem Ashraf, Mehr Abdul Sattar

Anjaman Mozareen Punjab

Please indicate your support at

farooqtariq hotmail.com

or call 0300 8411845