Ground Report

Awami Workers Party Pakistan – Statement on the current political scenario in Pakistan
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Our party follows in the long line of left parties throughout Pakistan’s history that have struggled for the building of a socialist society, a world free of imperialism, and equality of nations. In today’s Pakistan too, we believe that only the left possesses a genuine and viable project of social change that represents the interests of working people and oppressed nationalities.

 

It is on the basis of this conviction that we completely and totally reject the so-called `revolution’ being spearheaded by TahirulQadriin Islamabad. Under no circumstance does Qadri, or any other self-proclaimed leader of the people, represent the toiling classes, regardless of their claims.

 

In fact, Qadri is clearly the face of yet another conspiracy to derail the democratic process. The process of forming a caretaker government to oversee the forthcoming general election was already underway as per the guidelines laid out in the 19th and 20th amendments. Hence the emergence of a political non-entity like Tahirul Qadri who has been out of the country for years in the name of establishing genuine democracy is clearly an attempt to disrupt the constitutional process.

 

Under no circumstance will the AWP tolerate this conspiracy, and in days to come we will dedicate all of our human and intellectual resources to ensuring that elections are held on schedule.

 

The AWP also expresses its dismay at the timing of the Supreme Court’s decision to issue an arrest warrant for the sitting prime minister and leader of the house in the National Assembly. The present Supreme Court has consistently asserted that it has forever banished the `doctrine of necessity’ to the dustbin of history, and the AWP expects that it will honor its commitment to ensuring a peaceful democratic transition from the present elected regime to the next one.

 

It is at this stage pointless to engage in speculation about the architects of the unfolding conspiracy with Qadri at the helm. It goes without saying that the military establishment and imperialist powers have been the bane of democracy in Pakistan throughout its 65-year existence.

 

The AWP remains committed, as ever, to struggling against both of these forces, alongwith all exploiting classes and rightists that seek only to ensure the continued subjugation of our long-suffering people.

 

We urge all AWP workers throughout the country to take this statement in letter and spirit to all pro-democracy forces – and most of all the working people of Pakistan – and thereby play a vanguard role in this current phase of the democratic struggle.