Pakistan

On Saturday, November 29, 2008 a huge procession of the Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation (JKNSF) marched from Committee Square to the Rawalpindi Press Club, at the historic Liaquat Bagh, where a large public meeting was held, in which over 4,000 students from all over the country attended.

This year November 7, "Bolshevik Day", was celebrated the length and breadth of Pakistan with protests, demonstrations, rallies and seminars promoted by the Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign, PTUDC, together with other political and trade union bodies. The rallies also centred on a campaign against the privatisation of the Qadirpur Gas field and also against steep price increases and growing unemployment.

Pakistan is facing an acute crisis. In this situation the PPP leadership is under pressure to carry out the brutal dictates of imperialism, pushing millions deeper into misery. A radical mood is developing in this situation and the Marxists can emerge as a strong tendency on the basis of this situation.

Yesterday we received the sad news of the death of comrade Javed Shaheen, who passed away peacefully in his sleep. Javed was a very famous poet and one of the pioneers of Progressive writers' association of Pakistan. He was also an enthusiastic supporter of the International Marxist Tendency. We publish here an obituary by Alan Woods.

Pakistan is in danger of defaulting on its payments on foreign debt. It is one of the weak links in the world chain of capitalism. The PPP in government is buckling under the pressure of the capitalists and landlords and is failing to solve any of the fundamental problems facing the masses. In these conditions the role of the Marxists in providing an alternative becomes key.

Protests against US imperialist attempt for military coup against Hugo Chavez were held in 23 cities of Pakistan on Sunday called by the Hands Off Venezuela Campaign and IMT. Protestors raised slogans in support of Hugo Chavez and Evo Morales and against US Imperialism.

In the last five months of the new PPP-led coalition government the workers and the already impoverished masses have gone through social and economic suffering yet unforeseen in the chequered history of Pakistan. Under the rule of a rotten, corrupt and degenerate bourgeoisie, Pakistan is now sliding towards the abyss of barbarism. The victory of socialism is now the only solution for this crisis-stricken nation.

The Jammu Kashmir National Students Federation (JKNSF) is a growing youth organization, based in Kashmir, with thousands of members. It openly defends the ideas of the International Marxist Tendency and is holding its 17th Convention in November.

To look at the Pakistan Army solely as the instrument of the ruling class would mean ignoring the real contradictions that have developed within it. On the one hand an important wing of the top military brass are now involved directly in the economy, both the legal and the "black economy", including drug running. There is another contradiction, which is that between the top brass and the lower ranks who are more in touch with the mood of the masses.

Since the new government came to power in Pakistan there has been a lot of talk about "solutions" to the pressing problems of the masses, but all we have is talk and no real answers. Here we publish the editorial of the latest edition, 16-30 June 2008, of "The Struggle" commenting on this situation.