Report: Lal Khan speaks in Birmingham

Starting with the
events that took place in Pakistan in November 2007, our comrades from the "The
Struggle" have been putting forward the idea that only with a socialist
perspective can a way out of the deep political crisis be found. Comrades are
fighting alongside workers and peasants for the real needs of people ‑ bread,
housing and education ‑ in an objective political situation that changes from
day to day.

International
solidarity with the comrades in Pakistan
is urgently needed in order to strengthen them in their fight! Following the
sacking of High Court judges in November 2007 and the protests, a solidarity
committee for the PTUDC was set up in Birmingham.
The following is a report of a meeting organised by the committee on June 1^st
in Birmingham.
Around 30 people were present to listen to Lal Khan who had travelled to the UK from Pakistan.

Lal Khan started out
by explaining how both the economy and the institutions of the Pakistani state
are currently in a deep crisis and more people than ever are living below the
poverty line. After 61 years of "independence" society has not seen any
progress economically, socially or politically.

The official history
of the Indian subcontinent and Partition in 1947 is falsified in the schools
and in the media. No mention is made of the powerful labour movement in the
Subcontinent prior to Partition. However, while Gandhi led the movement for
national independence, the labour movement was the real threat to the ruling
class. The workers were determined to fight and a sailors’ mutiny in 1946 was
followed by massive strikes of railway workers and elements of the Army going
over to the side of the workers. The movement would not have stopped at
national independence if it had not been for the Communist Party leadership,
who betrayed the movement. Following this betrayal the ruling class managed to
draw a dividing line along communal issues and Pakistan was created – an
artificial State! Since the national bourgeoisie of Pakistan entered the stage of
history too late it has not been capable of building up the economy to this
day. Instead, the bourgeoisie turned to other means like crime and the army in
order to stay in power and there has never been democracy in Pakistan.

Today, more than ever,
and especially after the rigging of the elections, there is a deep economic and
political crisis in Pakistan
(read previous articles) Again, we can see a working class willing to fight and
fed up with the system. One example is the Telecommunications workers, who have
entered into their 4^th week of strike. A socialist revolution is the
only way forward for Pakistan!

After the introductory
speech, there was a lively discussion with many people from the audience taking
part. One person from the audience suggested the Birmingham solidarity committee establish
links with workers and students from the area. The solidarity committee asked
everybody to join them in their protest in front of the Pakistan High
Commission in Birmingham
on June 12^th at 1pm. This is a protest for the restoration of the
judiciary of the High Court, which has been suspended in November 2007, and
because of which there is also a protest march taking place in Islamabad on June 10^th.