Representing the poor: Katchi abadi residents to contest LB elections

AWP to support candidates, organise people’s tribunal after Eid.

The Awami Workers Party (AWP) in a meeting has called on its workers to formulate a strategy against the government’s eviction drives , according to a press release.

AWP leader Aasim Sajjad Akhtar said the government and its capitalist system have failed to provide employment and shelter for the working class.

“The struggle will last till we find a permanent solution, which requires the working classes and the poor to take matters in their own hands, instead of acting when the bulldozers are outside your doors,” he said.



AWP has blamed the PML-N-led government’s anti-poor policies and criticised its aggressive campaign against fruit and vegetable stalls in Sabzi Mandi and the registration of ‘household servants’ and ‘slum dwellers.’

Sheikh Abdur Rahman of I-9 katchi abadi asked participants to field their own candidates in local body elections while Zaheer Shah of Muslim Colony stressed on the need to mobilise the youth and women. “We can only be successful when our women will fully participate in this movement,” he said.

The participants have pledged to hold corner meetings in each abadi to form local units and hold a protest rally and people’s tribunal after Eid.

“The day all the million abadi residents come out on the streets, our problems will be solved,” said AWP member Zahoor Khan.

Other speakers included Ahsan Kamal, Fazal Shah of I-11 abadi, Muzaffar Khan of Phatak Colonay, Chaudhary James of Iqbal Colony, while National Students Federation (NSF) members were also present during the meeting.

Published in The Express Tribune, July 29^th, 2013.