Tributes paid to progressive politician Kaswar Gardezi

Speakers stress need to revive progressive political era

MULTAN: Political workers, parliamentarians, intellectuals and journalists paid rich tributes to Syed Kaswar Garderzi on his 24th death anniversary in Multan.

The speakers stressed the need to revive the progressive political era, ideology and struggle made for downtrodden classes under the leadership of Syed Kaswar Gardezi to strengthen democratic political values in the country. A literary organisation, Sukhanwar Forum, organised a seminar to pay tribute to Syed Kaswar Gardezi on his death anniversary.



Human rights activist IA Rehman, Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch, Makhdoom Javed Hashmi, Wajahat Masood and a large number of poets, intellectuals were present in the session.

Kaswar Gardezi belonged to a known feudal Gardezi family, descendent of Shah Gardez of Multan. Syed Kaswar Gardezi belonged to a feudal class but he revolted against his class to protect rights of downtrodden people and he remained committed to marxist ideology. Throughout his life, he resisted against the regime of Ayub Khan and Gen Ziaul Haq and served jail terms.

He was born on September 11, 1922 and began his career as a businessperson after completion of his education and established a trade body, which was later known as Multan Chamber of Commerce & Industry. He became the founding president of the trade body until he got interested in progressive politics after his association with Khan Abdul Wali Khan, GM Syed, Mian Iftikharuddin and Abdul Hamid Bhashani.

These people formed a progressive political pressure group, which emerged during the colonial rule of the former British India but later formed their own association after the independence in 1947. These progressive movements in Pakistan gradually grew stronger.

In West Pakistan, these movements allied with National Awami Party (NAP), which had strong association with Sindh Awami Mahaz of Ghulam M Syed. Later, a merger with organisations from East Pakistan led to the formation of the NAP in 1957.



The NAP aimed at reforms and disassociation from Baghdad Pact, SEATO, CENTO and all other alliances with the United States and western imperialism and toed a non-aligned policy for the country.

The NAP was banned after the coup of Ayub Khan in 1958 but resumed its activity after its leadership was released from jails and constitution of basic democracy was enforced by Ayub Khan in 1960s.

Kaswar Gardezi later joined the National Democratic Party (NDP) with Sherbaz Khan Mazari as its head as soon as the political icons, jailed under the Hyderabad Conspiracy case, were released. Gardezi was amongst the leaders held in Hyderabad Jail.  Due to differences, the NDP fragmented and Pakistan National Party came into existence. Kaswar Gardezi was elected as the first secretary general of PNP till his death on September 6, 1993.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2017.