Asia

This is the PTUDC's May Day leaflet, which the PTUDC has produced along with posters which will be flyposted throughout the country. The strike in Quetta continues, and there will be protests, demonstrations and rallies throughout Pakistan. See the leaflet at the PTUDC website.

The strike of public sector workers in Quetta, Baluchistan continues. Here are two articles that appeared in today's Dawn, the leading English language daily newspaper in Pakistan, followed by a short piece about the background to the strike. The PTUDC thanks everyone who has already sent in messages of solidarity and donations.

We have received the news from Pakistan that the leader of the victorious November strike of civil servants in Quetta, Hameed Khan, has been arrested again, together with other union leaders and protesting workers. The latest reports are that between 250 to 300 workers have been arrested and the newspapers in Quetta have been prohibited from publishing anything about the workers' protests. This is a serious development and the dictatorship seems to be moving towards a greater repression. This is an extremely serious situation and it is essential that we move immediately to protest against this action and to bring every pressure to bear on the Pakistani authorities.

Here we present a round-up of Alan Woods' tour in Pakistan, including a new report of his meeting with PPP leaders in Lahore on March 31 which was reported in the Pakistani media, but which we have not covered here until now.

Here we present a selection of the Pakistani press coverage of the meeting on the roof of the Hyderabad Press Club on March 29 which was attended by over 350 people.

On a blazing hot day, in Hyderabad, Sindh, 350 people attended a packed meeting on the roof of the Hyderabad Press Club. This was the third and most successful in the speaking tour of Socialist Appeal and www.marxist.com editor, Alan Woods, under the auspices of the Struggle, the Pakistani Marxist tendency. At the meeting a Sindhi language version of the Communist Manifesto, published by the Struggle, was launched. And afterwards a play was performed depicting the class struggle with actors representing the workers and the capitalists. The audience included men and women, trade unionists, activists of the Agricultural Workers' Organisation, and many students from the three

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"Inaction is not an option," declares George W. Bush, seeking to extend the "war on terror" to Iraq. But the recent heavy fighting between US and Afghan forces and the Taliban in Afghanistan gives the lie to those who say the war is over. It is dawning on the military strategists that victory cannot be won by air power alone, and combat troops will be required on the ground for some time to come. However, using Afghan forces has proved complicated, as the warlords - newly armed by the Americans - seek to reassert their influence.

The JKNSF is a significant political force amongst youth in Kashmir. It is now led by Marxists with a clear socialist internationalist programme, and is getting an enthusiastic response from the radicalised Kashmiri youth.

The workers at the Pakistani Steel Mills in Karachi have won a stunning victory over the management, composed of corruput army officials. They occupied the plant and blocked a highway, causing the administration to hastily back down and agree to the workers' demands for better safety conditions in the wake of previous fatal accidents at the mills. This is one of the most important victories for the Pakistani proletariat in recent times - alongside the victory of the Baluchistan public sector workers in Quetta, which was led by Hameed Khan, the organizer of the PTUDC in Quetta. These events will have an impact on the workers far beyond the premises of the Pakistan Steel Mills.

The workers at the Pakistani Steel Mills in Karachi have won a stunning victory over the management, composed of corruput army officials. They occupied the plant and blocked a highway, causing the administration to hastily back down and agree to the workers' demands for better safety conditions in the wake of previous fatal accidents at the mills. This is one of the most important victories for the Pakistani proletariat in recent times - alongside the victory of the Baluchistan public sector workers in Quetta, which was led by Hameed Khan, the organizer of the PTUDC in Quetta. These events will have an impact on the workers far beyond the premises of the Pakistan Steel Mills.

The migrant workers of Hong Kong - who have developed an independent group of unions and achieved almost 100% membership of unions, social and political groups, churches and agencies - have won a major victory in their militant action to prevent any further pay cuts. What remains are the demands to defeat any proposed changes in working conditions, fees and number caps and the new demands raised in a young movement that has now tasted first blood.

We are publishing here Chapter Seven of the book 'Partition, Can it be undone?' by Lal Khan. We are publishing it because of its relevance to the present conflict between India and Pakistan. This chapter analyses the historical background and the economic and strategic interests that have led to the present situation.

Lal Khan, in Lahore, analyses the difficult situation now facing the military dictatorship of General Musharaff after his humiliating submission to the demands of US imperialism. He also looks at the dire economic situation that has been aggravated by the conflict with India