Homage to Potohar’s great son

A number of progressive political workers, students and trade unionists on Friday paid tribute to eminent revolutionary and son of Potohar Dada Amir Haider while renewing their pledge to continue his mission and struggle against the establishment, imperialism and the forces of intolerance and bigotry.

The function was organised by the Worker’s Party Pakistan (WPP), Rawalpindi chapter, to commemorate the 111th birth anniversary of Dada Amir Haider, one of the great revolutionaries of the South Asian Subcontinent, at the Rawalpindi Press Club, said a press release issued by the event organisers.

Speaking on the occasion, Prof MARK Khalique of the National Awami Party, Jammu and Kashmir, said that the time is ripe for all progressive parties to come together and build a unified force that can counter the religious right as well as status quo parties.

He said that despite the best efforts of revolutionaries such as Dada Amir Haider the Pakistani left has never been able to present a united front to its adversaries, which is why it has remained weak and ineffectual.

Aasim Sajjad of the WPP called it a shame that the young people in today’s Pakistan have no knowledge of the sacrifices made by revolutionaries like Dada and have virtually no exposure to progressive ideals and movements.

He said that the current quagmire in society and serious internal contradictions within the ruling class can never be resolved in favour of working people until a new and organic working class movement supported by intellectuals, students, professionals  and all progressive elements is built; one that is clear on the questions of imperialism, the military establishment and capitalist exploitation.

He pointed to the recent furore over Raymond Davis as an example of the utter mess that has been created by the nexus of imperialism and the establishment and warned that if progressive forces do not emerge from their slumber and build upon Dada’s legacy then movements of the religious right and exclusive ethno-nationalism will continue to gain strength.

Speaking on the occasion, Advocate Nisar Shah of the Labour Party Pakistan said that the polarisation between the ‘secularists’ and the ‘theocrats’ is a fake one and only the left can bring ordinary working people together on a genuinely pro-people programme that ensures the separation of religion and state.

Other speakers on the occasion included Raja Jamil of the Railway Workers Union, Alia Amirali of the National Students Federation, Azad Qadri of the Socialist Movement Pakistan and Sajid Tanoli of the People’s Lawyers Forum paid tribute to the life and struggle of Dada Amir Haider and stressed the need for a unified struggle to establish a democratic and egalitarian society.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 19^th, 2011.