Pakistan: Multi-Party Conference Update

Several political parties and social movements have confirmed to participate in the Multi-Party Conference (MPC) in Lahore. 

The MPC will be organized by Labour Relief Campaign on 29^th August at Hotel Ambassador.

Those who have confirmed include Senator Hasil Bizenjo of National Party, Abid Hasan Minto President Workers Party Pakistan, Ihsan Wain General Secretary Awami National Party, Choudry Manzoor Ahmad President Peoples Labour Bureau, former Senator Tariq Choudry of Tehreek Insaaf, Nisar Ahmad Shah General Secretary Labour Party Pakistan, Jamil Omar Awami Jamhoori Forum, Nazar Mengal of Pakistan Trade Union Defense Campaign, Lal Khan Editor Asian Marxist Review, Ilyas Khan Secretary Peoples Lawyers Forum, Manzoor Gilani President Istiqlal Party, Mian Abdul Qayum Chairman Labour Qaumi Movement, Mehr Abdul Sattar Secretary Anjaman Mozarein Punjab, Dr. Mohammed Zahid Pakistan Medical Association, Majid Wazeer, President Professors and Lecturers Association, Shahtaj Qazalbash Convener Joint Action Committee for Peoples Rights, Nasir Mansoor Deputy Secretary National Trade Union Federation, Mian Misbah-ur-Rehman President Lahore Gymkhana and Jahangir Badar General Secretary Pakistan Peoples Party. Senator Pervaiz Rashid Pakistan Muslim League - Nawaz has also indicated that he will join the conference. Representatives of Lahore High Court Bar Association, Supreme Court Bar Association and District Bar Association Lahore will also participate in the conference.

Abdul Khaliq Shah, the focal person in Pakistan of the Campaign For the Cancellation of Third World Debt and Aasim Sajjad Akhtar of Workers Party Pakistan will open the conference and will outline the main purpose of the conference. They will argue that non-payment of foreign debts is a way out of our crises that the Pakistan government should adopt. They will also demand that the IMF and the World Bank should abolish the Pakistan’s debt.

Ammar Ali Jan, one of the Multi-Party Conference organizers said in a statement that the conference wishes to forge a united platform on how the country can tackle the current crisis. In particular, we are keen to suggest that international donors and organizations make ‘grants’ not ‘loans’, wipe off Pakistan’s debt or re-negotiate its ‘servicing’. Likewise, our domestic military budget has to be revised and discussed. Further, we believe it is important that all parties are alert at this time and mobilized in directing the country forward. The grassroots relief efforts that have emerged across the country are heartening, but a crisis of this magnitude can only be handled by an institution with the resources and reach of the federal government. As in all disasters, the assistance of the military will be necessary — but this must be subject to civilian oversight, and must not be exploited to glorify the Army at the expense of the civilian government. The military's relative strength is a direct legacy of pro-Army federal budgets, Ammar Ali Jan said.

Labour Relief Campaign is a network of 8 political and social organizations including Labour Party Pakistan. It has raised funds of over 3 million rupees and distributed among the flood victims through setting up of relief camps in different cities all along the Indus Valley from Khyber-Pakhtoonkhwa to Sindh and Baluchistan.

Farooq Tariq

spokesperson
Labour Party Pakistan
40-Abbot Road Lahore, Pakistan
Tel: 92 42 6315162 Fax: 92 42 6271149  Mobile: 92 300 8411945 

labour_party@yahoo.com  www.laborpakistan.org  www.jeddojuhd.com 

Funds for flood victims in Pakistan, Surrey August 28

With one-quarter of the country inundated, more then 1600 deaths and nearly 20 million people affected, Pakistan is facing its worst natural calamity in history. Billions of dollars of basic infrastructure and homes have been washed away and according to the initial estimate by UN about 7.3 million hectares of productive crop land has been wiped out. 
 The rescue and relief efforts started immediately there and people all over the globe including the Greater Vancouver area initiated aid campaigns towards flood victims. We all contributed and participated at our best in those efforts but there was a feeling to do more. Feeling the pain of our fellow human beings, we the members of Fraser Valley Peace Council (FVPC) & Committee of Progressive Pakistani Canadians (CPPC) decided to took an initiative to raise some more funds at our own and close family and friend’s circle.  

During this campaign in a small but dedicated effort we have collected just over $13000. Both the organizations have decided to donate this amount to the world's leading independent international medical relief organisation MSF/ Doctors without Borders.

We hereby invite you to a small ceremony where we’ll deliver the above mentioned amount's draft to Doctors without Borders. It is matter of privilege to announce that organizations Vancouver chapter’s representative Mr. Ian Adair will join us there. Ian is in long time association with Doctors without Borders and he has worked in different field locations around the globe including Pakistan. He will share us about his previous experiences from Pakistan and a latest update of floods and role of MSF/ Doctors without Borders there.

When: Saturday, 28^th August at 1.30 pm  

Where: Strawberry Hill. Library 7399 - 122nd Street Surrey, BC V3W 5J2  

The calamity is merciless and could have hit anyone, anywhere! We know that the amount that we collected is just like a drop in an ocean but we believe that every drop counts and the important thing however is that something is done and that it involves more than giving money.  

Please don’t forget that our fellow human beings are in great need and the opportunities to help are endless. 

Fraser Valley Peace Council  (FVPC) &
Committee of Progressive Pakistani Canadians (CPPC)