For people’s rights: Two progressive parties join hands to struggle for peace, democracy

UKPNP stressed that all progressive parties should join hands in order to protect the rights of the working classes.

ISLAMABAD:

Two left-wing political parties have formed an alliance to promote peace and democracy in the region for the betterment of the oppressed working classes.

The announcement came during a joint news conference of Awami Workers Party (AWP) President Abid Hassan Minto and United Kashmir People’s National Party (UKPNP) Senior Vice-President Naila Khaneen at the National Press Club here on Friday.

Kashmir issue should be resolved in accordance with the wishes of the Kashmiri people, said noted constitutional expert Minto adding that due the issue both India and Pakistan spend a huge amount of resources on defence budgets whereas majority of the peoples of the two states continue to live in abject t poverty.

Supporting the idea of a joint legislative body for Azad Jammu and Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, he demanded that the Kashmir Affairs Ministry and Kashmir Council be abolished, lent officer be replaced with local ones and basic social infrastructure be established in the AJK.

All the political parties including the progressive parties should have total independence to air their political views and resources should be under the control of the local people, he said. The governments should optimally use all the resources to rid the people of power crisis, inflation, unemployment and terrorism, stressed Minto.  He reiterated that the alliance will continue to work for the common goal set by the two parties.

UKPNP Senior Vice-President Naila Khaneen stressed that all progressive parties should join hands in order to protect the rights of the working classes.

Published in The Express Tribune, June 7^th, 2014.