Civil society pays tribute to late BM Kutty

Celebrating his life and work, social workers and rights' activists paid tribute to late peace activist BM Kutty on Tuesday during a webinar held in honour of his first death anniversary.

Biyyathil Mohyuddin Kutty, popularly known as BM Kutty, was a peace activist, political leader, scholar, former civil servant, leftist intellectual and a journalist, who authored several books during his career.

The Karachi-based activist and former joint director of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER) passed away on August 25, 2019, at the age of 89, succumbing to a protracted illness.

"Kutty was a politically conscious worker with clear ideas on democracy and people's struggles," said noted economist Dr Kaiser Bengali. His political struggle was to be celebrated, he added.

Dr Bengali recalled Kutty's association and work with veteran Baloch politician Mir Ghous Bux Bizenjo. Kutty served as Bizenjo's political adviser for decades and was his secretary when the latter served as the Balochistan governor. The deceased peace activist also went to jail along with Bizenjo when Sardar Attaullah Mengal's government was dismissed.

National Human Rights Commission member and former chairperson of the National Commission on the Status of Women Anis Haroon underscored the need for joint efforts by all political forces to strengthen democracy.

"There is an atmosphere of political suffocation and fear," she opined, adding that people were reluctant to raise their voices against injustices and extra-judicial killings. The Women's Action Forum leader urged political activists to learn from the legacy of leaders such as Kutty.

Meanwhile, Aurat Foundation director Mahnaz Rahman paid tribute to Kutty's struggle for the rights of the downtrodden sections of society, and labour leader Habibuddin Junaidi recalled that Kutty prioritised workers' rights during his tenure at PILER.

Others who spoke at the webinar included Karamat Ali of PILER, Muhammad Usman of IUF, senior researcher Iffat Ara and Kutty's former colleagues Zulfiqar Shah, Sharafat Ali, Sohnia, Abida Ali, Shujauddin Qureshi and Quratulain.