Awami Workers Party Lahore took out a rally from Shah Aalmi Lahore today to protest against rising price hike, unemployment, privatization and for land reforms. The rally went through Bansanwala Bazar, Lakshmi Chouck and reached Shimla Pehari where leaders of AWP spoke to the protesters. Rally was led by Abid Hasan Minto, president, Fanoos Gujjar chairman, and Farooq Tariq general secretary AWP. The protesters raised slogans against IMF and World bank and demanded the agreement with IMF should be scrapped.

The rally attracted over a thousand from Shah Aalmi area of Lahore mainly migrant workers from KPK.. The Pushtoon workers were carrying red flags instead of green, a symbol of religious politics. It wasa great unity of the working class from all shades of life.

Speaking on the occasion, Zahid Pervaiz president AWP lahore and Shazia Khan general secretary AWP Lahore said that the rising prices of every day goods and services have made the lives of ordinary people miserable. Muslim League government has pledged Pakistan in front of IMF and World Bank by accepting anti people conditions for loans. They have started a whole sale process of selling sate assets. Privatisation will further enhance the growing trends of price of every day goods. The PMLN government have even privatsed the cleaning of Lahore which resulted hundred of thousands of job losses of the informal waste pickers and sanitary workers mainly from Christian community.

Speaking on the occasion, Abid Hasan Minto president AWP said that Aam Admi can win. If Aam Admi can win in India , we can do it in Pakistan, however we ned to build the party and without a party, working class can not be emancipated. Abid Minto said that We welcome the new comers to AWP who are mainly migrant workers from KPK. It is a great occasion that large numbers of Pushtoons have joined our rally. He said that feudalism have become the main hurdle in path of progress and development. We have asked the Supreme Court to nullify the decision of the Shariate Court that has termed land reforms as Un-Islamic. Ironically, PPP that introduced land reforms have gone to Supreme Court to oppose their own party owned reforms in support of the feudalism. He demanded implementation of land reforms immediately.

Fanoos Gujjar, chairman AWP said that out of 5000 billion Rupees, over 3000 billion Rupees are being spend on non development projects. The government have lost its touch with the ordinary people and price hike has gone to a historic height. He said less than 300,000 youth are employed with reasonable wages rest are in the long que of unemployed army. Every year, over 3 million youth are joining this unemployed army.

Farooq Tariq general secretary of AWP said that AWP has organised two rallies in Lahore within a space of one month. This is beginning of the new politics of the working class. He said that religious fundamentalism is on the rise with the growing failure of the state to provide event he basic necessities to the people of Pakistan. There is great polarization in the society. Neo Liberal policies of the government is resulting more wealth for those who already have plenty. He demanded an end of privatization, better state control on price hike and jobs for the youth.

Participants of the rally were carrying red flags and were raising slogans all the way.

Shazia Khan