Hundreds and thousands of workers took to the streets across the country to celebrate May Day. Workers from different sectors of economy, nationalities, ethnic backgrounds and religions marched together in the streets, cutting across the rising religious, national and ethnic tensions in the country. The workers showed their class unity and brotherhood in practice and rejected the politics of hatred and communalism. They also rejected the neo liberal economic policies of the present government and demanded better living conditions and services.

Report by Syed Fazal Abbas Shah, TURCP National Organiser


TURCP members and supporters organised and intervened in the May Day activities across the country. These activities were organised in the four provinces and in all the main cities. TURCP also produced special May Day leaflet in two languages, which was distributed throughout the country. A special May Day issue of Socialist was also produced and sold in these activities.

Here are brief accounts of some of these activities.

Sindh

TURCP Sindh organised May Day activities in the different cities of Sindh including Karachi, Mir Pur Khas, Mehar and Larkana. In some cities, TURCP was the only organisation which held May Day activities. TURCP produced a special May Day leaflet in Sindhi language.

TURCP organised a joint May Day activity in Mir Pur Khas. 14 trade unions and social movements participated in a labour conference. More than 250 trade union and social activists attended the conference. The original idea was to organise a rally and to march through the main streets, but the PPP-led Sindh government imposed a ban on all sort of rallies and protest demonstrations in the province. The local authorities and police refused to give permission for the rally and public meeting on the grounds of security situation. But local authorities allowed the PPP labour wing to hold an ‘official’ rally in which just few dozen workers participated. TURCP and other workers organisations organized the biggest May Day activity in city despite all the odds and difficulties they faced. TURCP Sindh organiser Hameed Chanah played an important role in organising this joint activity. The speakers at the conference condemned the ban on May Day activities in Sindh. They also demanded the increasing of minimum wages and strict implementation of minimum wages in the private sector.

In Mehar, the only May Day activity was organised by the TURCP, in which around 300 workers participated. The majority of the unions in this city took part in a public meeting which was presided over by TURCP District Dadu organiser, Ghulam Mustafa Jatoi.

In Tharri Mohabat town in Dadu district, TURCP organised the only May Day activity in which hundreds of Beri Mazdoor (traditional cigarette making workers) participated. These workers have won two important strikes in last 6 months. This union was formed by TURCP members who are still actively supporting and helping to strengthen this union in this feudal-dominated area.

TURCP Karachi organised a joint seminar with 4 other unions in the largest industrial area in Karachi. More than 400 industrial workers participated in this seminar. Three members of TURCP spoke from the platform and put forward a clear program to build the strong trade union movement. TURCP also intervened in the other main activities organised by different trade unions and federations in the different areas of the city.

In Larkana, TURCP organised a seminar in the largest public sector hospital where TURCP members control the health workers union. More than 100 health workers participated in this seminar. TURCP members also participated in the other May Day activities in the city. TURCP members also intervened in the other cities and towns of Sindh and distributed leaflets and other material.

Punjab

TURCP organised or intervened in almost all the cities in the largest province of Pakistan. TURCP and textile workers of a local textile mill jointly organised a public meeting to celebrate May Day in Faisal Abad. Faisalabad is the 3rd largest city in the country and hub of textile industry. Nearly 2000 textile workers participated in this public meeting. TURCP international secretary Khalid Bhatti was the main speaker in this meeting. Leaders of the local textile unions described the horrifying situation faced by the textile workers. Workers are working 12 to 16 hours a day without being paid for months. When these workers protest against non-payment of wages and terrible working conditions, the mill owners threatened to shut down the factories. Protests against the non-payment of wages have become a daily routine in the textile industry. There is widespread anger and hatred against the bosses and government. Even the minimum wages are not being paid to the workers. The speakers strongly condemned the anti-worker policies of the PPP-led government. They announced the launching of a country-wide protest movement against these policies. Khalid Bhatti also spoke at the rally organised by the railway workers union. TURCP members intervened in the other May Day activities organised by different trade unions and workers organisations.

In Sahiwal, TURCP organised a May Day rally in the city centre. 6 public and private sector unions participated in the rally. Around 300 activists and members of different trade unions and social movements attended the rally.

In Muzafar Gar, TURCP participated in a jointly organised rally which was attended by 700 workers and peasants, including women. TURCP in Bahawalpur organised a seminar in which 100 workers participated. In Rahim Yar Khan, TURCP jointly organised a rally in which 230 workers from both private and public sector unions participated.

In Lahore, TURCP members intervened in the 4 main rallies organised by different trade unions. The main rally was organised by the workers confederation in which a couple of thousand workers participated. TURCP members distributed leaflets in the rallies.

TURCP members in Islamabad intervened in the main public meeting organised by the Pakistani workers federation. TURCP was the main left trade union force in this public meeting.

North West Frontier Province

There were very few May Day activities organised in this province, which is under attack from Taliban fighters. The rising tide of religious extremism and rapid Talibanisation in this province made it impossible to organise any sort of activity in many cities and areas. The trade unions and TURCP were able to organise activities in Peshawar, Mardan, Charsadah, Nowsherah and Dir upper.

The main activities were organised in the provincial capital, Peshawar, in which a couple of thousand workers participated. TURCP members participated in a main rally and public meeting jointly organised by different public and private sector unions and federations. The May Day leaflet was distributed and got a good response from the workers. One TURCP member also spoke from the official platform.

In Mardan, the second largest city in the province, TURCP participated in a jointly organised seminar in which more than 150 workers and social activists participated.

The workers, trade union, political and social activists vow to continue the joint struggle against religious extremism. In a unanimously adopted resolution, the participants demanded proper services and living facilities for the affected families coming from conflict zones. There are hundreds and thousands of internally displaced people in the different cities who were forced to leave their homes by insurgent Taliban groups or military operations.

In Dir, TURCP organised a small meeting to celebrate May Day. This city and surrounding areas is a centre of religious extremism. The military operation is going on against Taliban groups in some areas. TURCP members organised this activity in very a difficult situation. TURCP members are facing constant threats from the Taliban and other religious extremist groups.

Baluchistan

TURCP intervened in the main rally and public meeting organised jointly by all the main trade unions and federations. A few thousand workers attended the rally. TURCP May Day leaflet was distributed and papers were sold. TURCP members made interventions in some other cities. The May Day activities were badly affected by the murder of three Baluch Nationalist leaders in Turbat area of Baluchistan. The whole province has been paralyzed by continued strikes and protests from last two weeks. The situation is very volatile in this province which is already suffering from nationalist insurgency and state repression.