• Six women inducted to Executive committee of Awami Workers Party

• Federal Executive Committee Awami Workers Party meeting in Lahore takes important decisions

Awami Workers Party federal executive committee met here in Lahore at its federal secretariat and took important organizational and political decisions for the development of the party. Abid Hsan Minto (president) and Fanoos Gujjer (chairman) jointly presided over the daylong meeting. It was attened by the main leadership of the newly formed Awami Workers Party apart from Baba Jan, who had to appear in an anti terrorist court in Gilgit on the day.

Those who participated in the meeting were Hasan Nasir (senior vice president), Javed Aklhtar (deputy general secretary), Akhtar Hussain (secretary education and culture), Younas Rahu (peasant secretary), Nasir Mansoor (secretary labour), Nisar Shah (secretary information), Farzana Bari (women secretary), Yousaf Masti Khan (AWP Baluchistan committee), Bukhshal Thallo (AWP Sind secretary), Farooq Tariq (general secretary), Assim Sajad Akhtar (AWP Punjab committee) and Talib Hussain (finance secretary).

The meeting decided unanimously to include six women activists to its highest decision body making institution, the federal executive committee. They are Shazia Khan (Lahore), Alia Amir Ali (Islamabad), Riffet Maqsood (Lahore), Shahina Ramzan (Hyderabad), Aisha Israr (Peshawar) and Dr Samreen Hashmi (Karachi). The decision will change the composition of the committee positively in favour of women and now the women will constitute almost 40 percent of the committee.

It was agreed to hold women special mass meetings in Islamabad, Lahore, Peshawar and Karachi to appeal the women activists to join the AWP.

The meeting agreed to hold mass rallies in Lahore, Peshawar and Hyderabad during the month of February and March 2013. The rallies will be mainly workers peasant conference bringing together all the trade unions, peasant organizations and Left activists. The exact dates will be fixed by the respective districts. The public rallies will demand land for the peasants and no land grab, rights for the trade unions and punishments for the responsible of the death of 300 Karachi workers and opposition to the neo liberal agenda.

The federal executive committee decided to oppose the decision of the Lahore High Court for construction of the disputed Kala Bag Dam and agreed to launch a movement of awareness among the masses particularly in Punjab for the rights of nations and about damages that big dams can do to environment. “The courts have no right to decide matters like building of dams and so on. It is the fundamental right of the elected representatives of the people” Abid Minto president of AWP and a known constitutional lawyer of Pakistan said at the meeting.

AWP federal executive committee decided to launch a membership drive across Pakistan. Fanoos Gujjar, chairman of AWP said that we will have a target of 100,000 members in Khaiber Pukhtoon Khawa province and will contest from more than dozen of national and provincial seats in Khaiber Pukhtoon Khawa. The membership forms are already printed and everybody who agrees with the manifesto of AWP can join by paying Rupees 10 and a commitment to pay a substantial part of monthly income to the party.

AWP FEC decided to visit several parts of Baluchistan and top start the membership drive in the province as well. Punjab, Sindh and Saraiki waseeb districts will also go for membership of the new party.

AWP FEC decided to hold their first two days congress on 30^th April and 1^st of May in Islamabad. The newly formed party had elected the leadership on 11^th November for an interim period of six months. Keeping in view of the agreed position, the first congress is going to take place in time.

AWP FEC decided to take part in the general elections next year and also to register itself at the Election Commission of Pakistan.

A study syllabus was presented by Akhtar Hussain, secretary education which covers different aspect of Socialism, class, society and religion. Akhtar Hussain who is also vice chairman of Pakistan Bar Council, the highest post among the lawyer community was of the opinion that without a through ideological training of the new membership, party cannot go very far.

Several organizational committees were formed to organize the work of AWP.

Report by: Farooq Tariq, general secretary, Awami Workers Party