Support the re-building of a country-wide progressive student movement in Pakistan by the National Student Federation
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A meeting held in Leeds attended by representatives of the South Asian Peoples Forum, the Progressive Writers Association (Britain) and the Faiz Centenary National Organising Committee (UK) extended their support for the re-construction of National Student Federation (NSF) in the province of the Punjab. Similar reconstruction of NSF is taking place in other provinces.
The meeting expressed its support for the endeavours by progressive and socialist students throughout the country. The current political and growing economic inequalities demands the formation of a strong grass-root progressive student movement. Such an organisation is necessary to mobilise young people for all backgrounds for creating a just society.
Professor Nazir Tabbasum, who chaired the meeting, emphasised the need for progressive students to make common cause with workers, peasants, national and religious minorities and other oppressed sections of the society.
Bradford Co-ordinator of South Asian Peoples Forum, Lala Younis, said that he has been encouraged by recent development in Pakistan towards the formation of Pakistan-wide progressive student movement and pledged the support of his organisation to NSF.
Pervez Fateh, an activist of the Workers Party, Pakistan in the UK, said the revolutionary role played by the progressive student movements are important chapters in the history our struggle against capitalism, feudalism and military rules. In the early 1950s, the Democratic Student Federation (DSF) played a critical role in mobilising revolutionary student force. After the banning of DSF by the regime, the National student Federation took up the challenge. In 1960s and 1970, the NSF joined workers, peasants and other oppressed people in successfully overthrowing the military rule of General Ayub Khan.
Khalid Saeed, himself a leading NSF activist in 1960s, welcomed the re-construction of NSF in Pakistan. He said that progressive and revolutionary always played a leading role in resisting oppression throughout the world. He said that he has no doubt that the NSF will become a potent force in near future to make a mark on the revolutionary movement of Pakistani people against corrupt political leaders and their parties as well as fight against obscurest ideas of fascist religious elements in our country.
Mohsin Zulfiqar, a NSF activist in the 1960s, appealed to progressive and socialist organisations in Western Europe and Americas to provide material and moral support the re-formation of the NSF in Pakistan. He said that ‘the re-establishment of a strong and vibrant NSF is one of the necessary precursors in creating a progressive mass movement against political, economic and sectarian oppression in our country’.
The meeting appealed for progressive people in Europe and Americas to provide their support by:
1. Publicising the activities of NSF in print and electronic media.
2. Link up with NSF in various part of the country.
3. Provide financial support to the organisation.
Professor Nazir Tabbasum concluded the meeting by appealing for urgent financial support for NNSF Punjab which is holding its Convention on 25-26 November 2011 in Faisalabad, the first NSF Convention to be held in Punjab since 1991.
The meeting was also addressed by Fabbeh Husein, ……………
Contacts:
Pakistan
Alia Amirali
General Secretary
National Students Federation (Punjab)
Phone Number: 0332-5240283
nsfpunjab@gmail.com, amiralienator@gmail.com (personal)
Nazish Zahoor
Information Secretary
Phone Number: 0331-5078723
Britain
Pervez Fateh
Co-ordinator
South Asian Peoples Forum (UK)
Cell: +44 (0)795 854 1672
E-mail: pervezf@yahoo.com
Best regards
Pervez Fateh
Coordinator – South Asian Peoples Forum UK
Cell: +44 (0)795 854 1672
E-mail: pervezf@yahoo.com