Globalization threat to poor nations - Minto
LAHORE April 16: National Workers Party president Abid Hassan Minto has called upon all workers and professionals of the country to unite to meet the challenges of globalization and free market economy.
He was speaking at a meeting of the Punjab Union of Journalists and Lahore Press Club at the Nisar Osmani Auditorium of the club held on Friday in his honour and that of other lawyers of his team who had defended the journalists and newspaper employees in the Supreme Court in the case filed by the APNS challenging the Seventh Wage Board Award.
The Supreme Court had dismissed the case last week for want of jurisdiction. Mr Minto, who was presented a shield, said that globalization and free market economy of the rich countries of the west would have serious repercussions on the economy and workers of the poor countries. Unless they drew up a common strategy and a programme they would not be able to face the drastic consequences of the new challenges.
He said that said that the World Bank and IMF policies had already adversely affected the economies of the countries of Latin America where poverty had increased manifold and the gap between the rich and the poor widened.
The World bank and IMF were imposing similar policies on Pakistan and other countries of South Asia where a special privileged class of the very rich had emerged and teeming millions of poor people of the region were forced to lead a miserable life and they had been deprived of the basic necessities of life.
He said that the government of Pakistan claimed that its economy was progressing as its foreign exchange reserves had swelled to $12 billion. He said that the foreign reserves had been built up mostly by local purchase of dollars by the State Bank of Pakistan and the annual deposits of about $4 billion by the Pakistani immigrants while the real domestic earnings were negligible.
He said that bank interest rates had come down from 17 per cent to eight per cent and the banks were advancing loans generously to their clients for purchase of expensive motorcars on lease. He said that multinational companies had invaded Pakistan and other poor countries where they were heavily investing in opening luxury shops, restaurants and petrol stations, mobile phone companies etc. No indigenous industry was being set up.
The former Supreme Court Bar Association president asked the journalists and newspaper employees to seek the assistance of the lawyers to form legal aid committees in all newspaper centres to help them against violation of labour laws and non-implementation of wage awards.
He hoped that the lawyers' community would come forward to work on the proposed committees. He said that since he himself had been a trade union leader he felt it his duty to help the working class in defending their rights in the courts. He said Article 3 of the Constitution had declared that there would be no exploitation of man by man. The violation of laws of the land depriving workers of their legal rights was exploitation, which could not be tolerated.
He appreciated the proposal put forward by former PFUJ president I.H. Raashed that the matters related to the implementation of the wage award should be settled outside the courts in tripartite meetings with the representatives of the APNS and the federal government.
NWP calls for autonomy on basis of 1940 resolution
KARACHI, March 5: Speakers at a seminar demanded devolution of powers from Centre to provinces and then to local bodies, and called upon all the political parties to evolve a new constitution to determine the quantum and nature of autonomy.
Speaking at a seminar on devolution of powers, organized by the National Workers Party (NWP) at the Karachi Press Club on Sunday, they supported joint electorate and claimed that the government's plan was a covert move to reimpose One Unit. Some speakers also called upon political parties to devolve power to their workers while agitating the issue on the national level.
Abid Hassan Minto, the president of the National Workers Party, called for a popular struggle for decentralization of power from the centre to the provinces and down to the local bodies.
He said the struggle had to be within the framework of the country. He was of the view that One Unit was imposed by Punjab and Ayub Khan came later. He was, however, not opposed to the creation of more provinces.
He called for pruning the powers of the feudals who, he said, were responsible for all the ills afflicting the country and the people. "It was because of the vested interest of the feudals that no change could ever take place in the country and people continue to be exploited," he added.
He said redistribution of lands from feudals to the peasants was urgently required. The power of urban elites should also be eliminated by granting social security to workers and due protection of their rights, he added.
Mr Minto said people should be the judge as to what kind of system they wanted and on what basis the powers should be devolved.
Syed Jalal Mahmood Shah, speaker of the suspended Sindh Assembly, also called for decentralization of powers and said no system could be successful until power was redistributed at the grass roots. He said priority should be given to solving the problems of the local people with their participation.
Yusuf Mustikhan, the secretary general of the NWP, said devolution of powers from centre to provinces be done according to the 1940 Lahore Resolution which, he added, guarantees that the provinces would be "sovereign and autonomous".
He maintained that the 1973 Constitution was violated by its authors and it had been now buried by subsequent events. "It was time that political forces get together and evolve a new constitution, clearly spelling out the quantum and nature of provincial autonomy."
He said if the regime imposed its formula of devolution of power on the people without their consent, the provinces would be compelled to demand national autonomy instead of provincial autonomy.
He said Article 6 of the Constitution was not only applicable to those who suspended the Constitution but also on those who abused it after coming to power through elections.
He castigated the growing price hike and discriminatory policies against the downtrodden and called for easing the burden of the poor.
NWP seeks rights to smaller provinces
KARACHI, Feb 11: Speakers at the "National Political Conference" have called on all progressive forces in the country to unite on a minimum national agenda to provide a third option to the people , as the mainstream parties have failed to deliver the goods.
Pleading for the need of peace in the region and for doing away with the feudal system, they said the people were disappointed with the mainstream political parties.
The conference, organized by the National Workers Party in a local hotel on Saturday, was attended by representatives of 18 political parties, professional bodies, workers federations and NGOs.
NWP President Abid Hasan Minto, who presided over the conference, in his opening address recalled the agony being faced by the people due to increasing poverty, rising unemployment, soaring prices, sectarian killing, intolerance and the worsening law and order situation resulting in the loss of faith in the institutions.
"We are against army rule, but are also against those who want to restore the same system that was prevailing before October 12, 1999," he said.
Mr Minto said the country needed structural changes, elimination of feudalism and feudal mentality. Without effecting basic changes in the system, the problems facing the country could not be solved, as indulging in politics of power and installing one government after the other would serve no purpose.
He also emphasized the need for effecting electoral changes, including the restoration of the joint electorate system, direct elections to the senate, review of provincial autonomy, elimination of terrorism, and the announcement of schedule for general elections.
Mairaj Mohammed Khan of the PTI criticized the role of the mainstream political parties whose policies had landed the country in the present situation of allround crisis, including a burden of 38 billion dollars.
He claimed that the system had collapsed and said the country needed change of system, not a mere change of faces. Pleading for giving rights to the federating units, he warned that if the present system continued, the country could not be kept united.
Rashid Rehman of the SDM said demanding democracy would be inappropriate without practising democracy within the parties. He said democracy should be based on the rights of the people. The people should be mobilized on the basis of a programme of comprehensive social security which would look after the needs of the unemployed, the sick and the poor.
Latif Afridi of the NAPP said the basic changes in the system were the need of the hour and necessary for the survival of the country. He said the NGOs could not be an alternative to political parties.
Gul Rehman of the Pakistan Trade Unions Confederation said workers had played their role, along with political parties, for the restoration of democracy in the country and suffered equally but unfortunately after coming to power political governments had proved worse for the workers. He said, except for the Zulfikar Ali Bhutto's government, it was during martial laws that labour policy had been announced.
Father Arnold of the Idara Amn-O-Insaf asked political parties not to set up separate minorities wings but give them equal opportunity, and called for the restoration of the joint electorate system based on proportional representation.
Okara Farms: NWP for judicial probe
TOBA TEK SINGH, June 29: National Workers Party (NWP) president Abid Hasan Manto has said that instead of eradicating feudalism from the country, the rulers are creating military feudalism by snatching land from tenants in Okara and other areas of the country.
He was speaking at a conference of NWP workers from Toba Tek Singh, Jhang and Faisalabad districts, here on Sunday.
He said the Punjab revenue board had clearly stated that the Okara land which was given on lease to the army by the British government in 1930 now belonged to it, but the military bureaucracy was not willing to give up the precious land, which was made cultivable by tenants after decades of hard work.
He condemned the killing of more than a dozen tenants by the Rangers and demanded a judicial probe into it at the high court level.
Criticizing the recent statement of President Gen Pervaiz Musharraf that he was thinking about sending the Pakistan Army to Iraq, Mr Manto said the nation would never allow him to send the army to Iraq to play the ugly role of protecting the interests of US-led forces. It was a pity that the opposition was not taking a firm stand on this issue and was struggling against just the LFO, he said.
He also criticized PPP leader Makhdoom Amin Fahim and MMA leader Maulana Fazalur Rehman who were now opposing the LFO but had once been ready to become prime minister under it.
Talking on the need for unity among left-wing parties, Mr Manto said that the NWP was formed after the merger of National Party, Pakistan Socialist Party and Awami Jamhoori Party. However, he added, serious efforts should once again be made to create a single platform for the left-wing in the next general election.
Punjab NWP president Chaudhry Fateh Mohammad said in his speech on the occasion that the flat Abiana rate was not acceptable to farmers of Toba Tek Singh district, who got water supply at the rate of 2.6 cusecs per 1000 acres while some other districts got it at the rate of five to seven cusecs per 1000 acres.
PPP's former MPA Mian Mohammad Rafiq condemned in his speech the Rs18 billion loan write-offs for the Chaudhry Shujaat family and other politicians and bureaucrats.
Syed Qurban Shah of Jhang, Asif Ijaz of Faisalabad, minority leader Bonnie Mendes, Azam Khan, Punjab NWP secretary Malik Aslam, Mushtaq Kashfi and Ali Mohammad also spoke on the occasion.
Through various resolutions, the conference demanded decrease in electricity and gas tariffs and prices of petroleum products.
NWP criticizes major parties
KARACHI, Aug 26: The chief of the National Workers Party, Abid Hassan Minto, has called for throwing up a new political leadership by rejecting the mainstream political parties, whom he blamed for being part of the exploitative system dominated by the feudals and civil and military bureaucratic elite.
Addressing the Karachi Bar Association on Saturday, Mr Minto traced the development of political process in Pakistan and referred to several military interventions which derailed democracy. He was skeptic about the future of real democracy in Pakistan in which, instead of an unelected individual, the people would be free to elect and remove their representatives.
Hitting hard at the mainstream political parties, he said that almost all the political parties, except the Muslim League, had welcomed the October 12 military take-over. Some of the champions of democracy and people's rights were on record having urged the armed forces to play their role, he claimed.
Referring to the evolution of political process and constitutional rule in India, where the armed forces were subservient to the civilian government, Mr Minto said that unless the people of Pakistan were freed from the clutches of civilian-military ruling elite, neither democracy nor independence of the judiciary was conceivable.
Because the political parties in Pakistan were dominated by feudals, no grassroots movement could take place in the country and the people of Pakistan were marginalized, he said.
Referring to repeated military take-overs in Pakistan, he said that "in the name of security the armed forces have become an institution for furthering the interests of western countries, and over the years they have become part of the corrupt feudal and industrial elite."
In this context, he criticized them for not carrying out land reforms, and said "this has been done to perpetuate their stranglehold and to marginalize the masses."
He also termed the regime's devolution plan and unrealistic, and said that in the presence of the feudal, tribal and sardari systems, it was not expected to succeed. He was of the view that the regime's decision to keep political parties out of the process was unrealistic and would only be conducive to perpetuating the exploitative system.
He said: "Unless the existing balance in the system, in which the feudals and civil and military bureaucracy are the only beneficiaries, is altered, more than 70 per cent of the people whose rights have been denied would not be freed from the shackles of ignorance, disease, hunger and insecurity."
He said that without the support of the people, civil society could not be visualized, and maintained that the overwhelming majority, which got elected to the assemblies, did not act according to the aspirations of the people but served interest groups and mafias. The government must give a clear plan of devolution of power between the federation and the provinces and districts, and introduce electoral reforms, he said.
"The nation has been burdened with debt over the years because the ruling elite wants to strengthen the armed forces for its own interest and very little has been invested in human resource development," he said.
Mr Minto was also critical of fundamentalist parties and jihadi organizations and maintained that "their activities are harming the struggle of the Kashmiri people and Pakistan."
While Mr Minto came hard on the mainstream liberal and religious parties, he did not focus much on the merit and legitimacy of the October 12 military take- over and the concern voiced by his hosts over the alleged alteration of a court order. Neither the president nor the secretary of the Karachi Bar Association identified the case or the court in this regard.
NWP not to join QJP, says leader
SANGHAR, Jan 4: Air Marshal (retd) Asghar Khan and Umer Asghar Khan have not stood by the decisions, which were taken on Dec 27 at 17 Lawrence Road Lahore , which is why the National Workers Party (NWP) of Abid Hassan Minto will not join the Quami Jamhoori Party (QJP). This was stated by Hassan Askari, president, NWP, Sindh, in a press statement on Friday.
He said that it was decided in the meeting that no portfolio would be given to Asghar Khan in the new party and also it would strive against civil and military dictatorship, feudalism, the IMF and the World Bank's polices against Pakistan. He regretted that both father and son had worked against the agreed formula.
Mr Askari said that the NWP would now work with leftist and democratic parties. He said a central convention will be held on Jan 6 in Hyderabad and May 5 in Karachi to determine the future course of action.
NWP seeks end to 'antagonism'
LAHORE, Dec 28: The National Workers Party pleaded with the governments of Pakistan and India on Friday to withdraw all antagonizing steps and resume the Agra dialogue regime for a negotiated settlement of all disputes.
"The people of the two countries want peace; the governments have no right to impose war [on them] and plunge South Asia into another catastrophe," NWP president Abid Hasan Minto and secretary-general Yusuf Masti Khan said in a joint press statement issued here.
Criticizing the Indian government for its "reckless conduct" with regard to Pakistan, the NWP leaders said that New Delhi had caused the relations between the two countries to fall to an all time low. Heightening of tension, they said, had created a situation fraught with disastrous consequences considering that both the countries were nuclear.
The escalation of tension, they said, had dealt a serious blow to the efforts of the peace-loving forces of the two countries to expand people-to-people relations and cooperation in various walks of life.
"We are convinced that the people on both sides want peace and cooperation; we cannot afford another war," Mr Minto and Mr Khan said. They added that the two countries should halt hostile propaganda as a first step towards restoring normalcy in the region.
Changes in political, economic system urged
KARACHI, Feb 12: Unless fundamental changes are introduced in the social, political and economic system and the dominant role of the big landowners, land grabbers, drug barons and the corrupt segments of the civil and military bureaucracy and political leaders are ostracized, democratic values and institutions cannot grow in Pakistan.
This was observed by speakers at the 'National Political Conference' held in a local hotel on Saturday. It was organized by the National Workers Party, presided over by NWP President Abid Hasan Minto.
The conference, attended by nine political parties and 11 professional bodies and non-governmental organizations, in its 11- point declarations, released on Monday, stated that it was the immediate need for the democratic forces in the country to unite on the basis of a comprehensive agenda.
The agenda should include:
Basic agrarian reforms aimed at breaking the economic and political strangle-hold of the feudal lords and big landowners. Implementation of all fundamental human rights, as set forth in the UN conventions and agreements, and repeal of all laws which impinge on the workers' rights.
The establishment of an independent election commission and introduction of new electoral laws for holding elections on the basis of joint electorate and ensuring constitutional protection to representation for women, minorities, workers, peasants and other marginalized sections of the people.
Strictest control of election spending by candidates to eliminate money's dominant role in the election process and unhindered participation of all political parties in elections at all levels.
Redefining of the quantum of maximum provincial autonomy, concrete steps to put an end to terrorism of all kinds, particularly religious and sectarian terrorism.
The announcement of schedule for general elections at the earliest and a clearly defined position on foreign debt, taking into consideration Pakistan's current economic crisis and its inability to fulfil its repayment commitments.
In the declaration the conference stated that the holding of elections on a non-party basis would perpetuate the depoliticization of Pakistan society and cause fragmentation on the basis of family, clan, tribal, sectarian, ethnic and group affiliations which would further strangle the feudal class and urban rich on the electoral process and its outcome.
It said that the country was going through its worst political and economic crisis for which not only the armed forceswere responsible but the leadership of major political parties must also share the guilt.
The politicians while in power chose to preserve the obsolete agrarian structure but they virtually mortgaged the country's economy to the western powers and their funding agencies such as the World Bank and IMF and busied themselves in plundering it. They gave the country a debt burden, which stood at 38 billion dollars, the major part of which they had taken and squandered on various unproductive and non-developmental projects and in enriching themselves.
All-pervading corruption had sapped the life out of economy and destroyed our international image. Frequent introduction of more taxes, leading to the never-ending rise in prices of essential commodities and utilities, added to the sufferings of the people.
NWP calls for early elections
LAHORE, Feb 25: A national political conference convened by the National Workers Party here on Sunday urged the government to forthwith announce general elections and control inflation.
Adopting two resolutions, the conference which was presided over by Mr Abid Hasan Minto, ratified the communique issued by another similar conference in Karachi and maintained that while announcing the elections the government must ensure that the federal parliamentary system in the country remained unchanged.
It should hold the elections on the joint electorate basis, allow all political parties to contest them, fix 18 years as voters' age and give representation to women, labourers, tillers and the downtrodden in the assemblies.
The conference urged the government to immediately announce an independent election commission, to formulate such election rules that could prevent the rich mafia from once again occupying assemblies through their money.
It asked the government to transfer powers to the federating units, improve law and order in the country, take positive steps for peace in the region, ban all extremist ethnic parties/jihadi outfits and block their foreign aid, and purge the country of arms and private armies.
The conference urged the government to control the rising prices of essential items and eatables, reduce the rates of oil, gas, power and telephone and resolve the water dispute between different provinces on priority basis.
Prominent among those who attended the conference included Mr Hamid Khan (Tehrik-i-Insaaf), Dr Mubashir Hasan, Tahira Mazhar Ali, Mr Naeem Shakir, and Mr I A Rehman.
Alliance between progressive parties need of the hour
TOBA TEK SINGH, April 2: An alliance between progressive political parties is need of the present changed political circumstances and in this regard the National Workers Party is in touch with the leadership of left wing parties.
This was stated by NWP chief and former Supreme Court Bar Association president Abid Hasan Minto while addressing a party workers convention here on Saturday night.
He said talks were in progress with the Communist Party and the Mazdoor Kissan Party, while three left wing parties - Pakistan Socialist Party, Pakistan National Party and Awami Jamhoori Party - had already been merged in the shape of NWP. He said the progressive political forces had always opposed the martial law and the NWP also opposed the Oct 12 act of Gen Musharraf.
While talking about the education system, he said students should be given free education up to matriculation besides restoring their union rights. He stressed the need for introducing equal educational system for children of all classes of society. He said English should be declared a compulsory subject in primary schools.
Mr Minto said the World Bank, the IMF and all other such international financial institutions issued loans to poor countries just to exploit them. He demanded that the land ceiling for a cultivator family should be fixed up to 25 acres irrigated land and all the extra land should be confiscated and distributed among land less farmers.
The NWP chief said a judicial commission should be set up to appoint judges of superior courts. The convention was also addressed by Pakistan Kissan Committee chief Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad and other NWP office-bearers.
Call to abolish feudal system
LAHORE, Aug 26: National Workers Party president Abid Hasan Minto urged the government on Sunday to abolish feudal system ahead of forthcoming general elections to ensure representation of the common man.
He was speaking at a reception organized by the Punjab organization of the party for the newly-elected councillors belonging to the NWP.
Mr Minto said the recent local body polls had proved that the common man could not face landlords in the electoral field under the present feudal system. He said the working class could not get elected against feudals in the Punjab and Sindh and Khans or Sardars in the NWFP and Balochistan.
Congratulating the newly-elected councillors he hoped that they would not only play their role in the working of local councils but also in the election of true representative of the people in the forthcoming general elections.
Party's vice-president Nasim Shamim Malik welcomed the women participation in the local body polls and their election in large number. She said that the elected representatives would play their role in transfer of power from the bureaucracy to the people.
Central committee member Tahira Mazhar Ali demanded constitution of autonomous, effective and independent election committee ahead of the forthcoming general elections. She said that the women participation in the local polls showed that our society was politically aware and women were capable of playing their role in the politics.
Another central committee member C.R. Aslam said that a revolution through the elected representatives were in the offing the world over. According to him, it was a duty of the elected representatives to resist the exploitative policies of the IMF and the World Bank.
He demanded that seats should be reserved for workers, peasants, women and minorities in national, provincial assemblies and senate in the forthcoming general elections. He also demanded increase in the number of seats in the NA and four provincial assemblies.
Referendum illegal, violative of SC ruling
ISLAMABAD (By Zia-ur-Rehman Hashmi) , April 15: The holding of referendum by military regime amounts to political opportunism and is violative of the fundamentals of the Constitution and the Supreme Court ruling according to which Gen Musharraf is legally bound to transfer complete power to a civilian setup after holding general elections in October.
These views were expressed by representatives of three political parties at a seminar on "Referendum: Views from political parties," organised by an SDPI here on Monday.
Speaking on the occasion, eminent constitutional expert and National Workers Party president, Abid Hassan Minto, said that the regime had found easy scapegoat in the shape of mandate granted by the apex court to do whatever was thought necessary by him.
He strongly opposed the government's interpretation of the Supreme Court verdict. In his opinion, referendum cannot ensure the transfer of total power.
Complete control of public representatives on parliament, presidency and Senate is what has been underlined by the apex court in its ruling. A general, occupying an overbearing presidency undercuts the SC verdict.
Return to total civilian rule is what constitutes the essence of Supreme Court verdict and referendum for continuity is in conflict with the clearly mandated authority, he maintained.
He also criticised the illegal attempts of the regime to stay in power for next five years. In the name of continuity, the generals should desist to harm the country's long-term interest which rests in the sustained political process, the NWP leader argued.
He called into question the need for referendum which, if one goes by constitutional requirements, is held for the public approval on an issue of national importance. But, since Gen Musharraf has got huge personal stakes so he has to use even illegal remedies for the legitimacy of his presidency.
The eminent constitutional expert and leftist politician said, "our national woes can't be dealt with selectivity; we have to wage a war on all fronts.
"Although, we support the reforms introduced by the government such as local government system, increase in women seats, crackdown on militancy, other serious issues should equally be addressed like repeal of blasphemy law, equal status to minorities, abolition of feudalism, rejection of IMF dictated economic policies and removal of army personnel from all the civilian positions."
Responding to a question regarding the government's claim of holding referendum in fair and free manner, he wittingly remarked that never before in Pakistan's political history referendum had been that much transparent.
"Musharraf stands out prominently in making it clear to the nation much in advance that he has got the verdict as a large number of people are attending his public gatherings which reflects popular endorsement of his presidency."
Mr Minto elaborated his vision to make Pakistan genuinely democratic state having progressive and modern outlook. "Holding periodic elections doesn't mean practicing democracy. Democracy is much more than that. In our case, the only way to democracy is to break the feudal, civil and military bureaucratic stranglehold", he continued.
He said that whatever reforms had been launched during the current interegnum must be continued by the elected leaders and not by army generals who are ill-versed with political niceties and social complexities.
"It seems all roads lead to Musharraf. What is this talk about checks and balances?", he questioned. You cannot have balance of political power if you occupy such important posts like COAS, president, JCSC and CE all at the same time. How can people believe in your plane to bring the real democracy when power is all concentrated in one individual?, he asked.
He said, great responsibility rests at the moment on political parties to get together and raise their collective voice against issues like attempts to hold onto presidency-COAS at the same time, holding of referendum, national security council and the violation of army oath that bars military person to enter into national politics.
Talking about the post-September 11 situation, he said we should not accept foreign dictates in the areas of our economic and political sovereignty. Foreign security personnel and MNCs are being increasingly involved in our national affairs. We condemn it, Mr Minto added.
NWP wants land reforms, change in electoral laws
KARACHI, Feb 1: The National Workers Party president Abid Hasan Minto has demanded of the government to immediately introduce land reforms, new electoral laws and an increase in women seats in the National as well as in the provincial assemblies.
Speaking at a meeting of the party workers at Old Thano Goth, Malir, Mr Minto said a true democracy could not be established without making radical changes in the electoral laws.
He maintained that only after introducing basic changes, elections should be held on joint electoral and proportional representation bases with allocating 30 per cent seats for women.
He regretted that the military government seemed directionless and not sincere in implementing its seven-point agenda of good governance, devolution of powers and economic rehabilitation.
The NWP leader held the successive rulers - civilian and military - responsible for the present crisis, saying that the economy is at the verge of collapse and corruption is rampant.
He called on the democratic, patriotic and progressive forces to get united for a social change. The meeting, among others, was also addressed by NWP Secretary-General Yusuf Mustikhan and provincial president Usman Baloch.
Pak communists urge CPM to join Sonia
By: Aakar Patel (Indid) May 17, 2004
Pakistans communists have urged the CPM to join Sonia Gandhis government.
They feel the opportunity must be seized to forward an agenda of land reform, which has been achieved in a few states including West Bengal but not in the rest of the country.
“The communist parties and the Left cannot think of having a majority in the near future, Abid Hassan Minto, one of Pakistans communist leaders, said.
This dilemma will remain for a long time.
It made more sense at this time for the communists to share power and insist on that part of their agenda which could be enforced through the state, especially land reform, he felt.
The Congress initiated land reforms in the 50s so they will support moves to take this forward, he said. Minto is leader of the National Workers Party and a former member of the Communist Party of Pakistan, which was banned in 1954.
He is also a distant relative of the great Mumbai writer Saadat Hasan Manto and one of Lahores biggest lawyers.
The National Workers Party will send a letter to CPI leader AB Bardhan today to congratulate the party on its performance and its decision to participate in the new government.
Minto said that public sector investment was needed in areas where the private sector stayed away for lack of profit, such as health, education, communications, water management and the railways.
His advice to the CPM was to have ministers only in those positions where there was no dispute over policy with the Congress. Even limited success in these areas would be a victory, he felt.
Workers' Party demands agricultural reforms
HYDERABAD, March 31: The National Workers' Party (NWP) at an agricultural conference held at the Basant Hall on Sunday afternoon squarely held Punjab responsible for the theft of water and rejected the proposed presidential referendum as "illegal and unconstitutional".
The conference demanded that real agricultural reforms should be brought about in the country and Jagirdars and Waderas be excluded from power-sharing.
Addressing the conference, chief of the NWP, Abid Hussain Manto said that his party was not interested in achieving power through the back door but it was striving to bring into power people-friendly leaders.
He said that those elements who wanted to become prime ministers with the help of the army and presidents with the blessings of American President George Bush were not sincere with the people and their only interest was to reach the corridors of power somehow.
He said that some people had remained in power on more than one occasion but they had betrayed the people. He said the people continue to suffer due to unemployment and poor economic conditions, and added that nothing had changed.
Mr Manto said that the armed forces had remained in power more than anyone else. He alleged that in the garb of development, Gen Ayub Khan had plundered the national wealth whereas the members of the Shoora in Gen Ziaul Haq's government were responsible for introducing narcotics and Kalashnikov culture in the country.
He said Z.A. Bhutto too had helped the Jagirdars, Choudhris and Nawabs to save his party and perpetuate himself in power, and added that the result was that the agricultural reforms remained ineffective and instead of benefiting the poor Haris and the small growers helped the Jagirdars and big growers.
He branded the PPP as "the Modern Muslim League". He said that both Benazir and Nawaz Sharif had trampled over the rights of the masses. He said Gen Pervez Musharraf had never invited any labourleader or labour union for talks. Among the others who addressed the conference were Baji Naseem, Ms Qaneez Fatima, and Javed Akhtar.
RESOLUTIONS: The conference adopted several resolutions demanding the abolition of Jagardari and Zamindari system through agricultural reforms, strict implementation of the distribution of lands in accordance with the Ayub Khan reforms, ejection of Waderas from the lands of Haris given during the regime of Nawaz Sharif, maximum representation of the middle class in the National Assembly from the rural areas, and decrease in the prices of medicines.
It demanded concessions in agriculture tax, subsidy on crops, and fixation of land holding limit of 50 acres in canal-irrigated areas and 100 acres in rain-fed areas, and distribution of state land among the Haris.
The conference demanded that the Greater Thal Canal and Kalabagh Dam projects should be shelved, the water issue should be resolved with the consensus of the provinces, and the tube-wells schemes should be started.
It demanded that the allotment of lands to army and civil bureaucracy should be discontinued, the tenancy act should be amended, and the ILO conventions should be implemented.
NWP will not support constitutional amendments
LAHORE, Sept 11: The National Workers Party has said it will only support the constitutional amendments which are aimed at strengthening the democratic system and making the federal parliamentary system more representative.
Party president Abid Hasan Minto, announcing the decisions of the party's central committee at a press conference here on Tuesday, said it opposed any amendment to assign a political role to the National Security Council and restore the president's powers under Article 58 (2)(b) of the Constitution.
Mr Minto said a new political party was in the offing. It would be a merger of the NWP, the National Awami Party of Pakistan, the Tehrik-i-Istaqlal and a group of independent individuals. Its mission would be to create an egalitarian society where all sections would strive together for a prosperous Pakistan. Others present on the occasion were NWP secretary-general Yousaf Masti Khan and vice-president Begum Naseem Shameem Malik.
He said the party did not support any move to vest any individual with authority over the representative institutions in the name of introducing a system of checks and balances and assigning political role to the army. He said the system of checks and balances could only be introduced through democracy and creating awareness among the masses and not by making non-representative people more powerful.
He said amendments were required to the Constitution to make the election commission independent; increase the seats in assemblies; reserve seats for deprived sections of society, including women, farmers and minorities; reducing the age of voters to 18 and holding elections on the basis of proportional representation.
The party's central committee demanded enforcement of agricultural reforms of 1970s. It said the feudal system allowed a small number of families to control the livelihood of 60 per cent of the population. Poverty could not be reduced in the country without ending the system. It opposed downsizing in the name of privatization and demanded protection for small industry.
Answering a question about the removal of women from their jobs, the NWP president said the party's view was that no human being should be removed from job.
The committee supported the Pakistan-India dialogue, and said it should be made meaningful. It said the Kashmiris should be included in the dialogue.
LFO settlement on basis of principle- NWP
LAHORE, Sept 23: Abid Hasan Minto, eminent constitutional lawyer and head of the National Workers Party, has proposed that the LFO controversy should be resolved not as a matter of a compromise between the establishment and the political forces but on the basis of a principle.
The principle should be that all LFO provisions which advance a democratic dispensation should be retained and others which whittle down the representative status of parliament, impair the federal system or institutionalize the role of the armed forces in politics should be rejected.
In a Dawn Dialogue interview in Lahore, Mr Minto, said: "If we worry too much about who made the changes, then we must reject the elections as well. That's not how the cause of democracy can be advanced."
In his opinion, the lawyers' campaign against the judiciary has only weakened the latter, pushing it closer to the establishment.
Mr Minto talked of an effort being made by the various left groups to first reorganize themselves and then to collaborate with each other for creating a larger political formation presenting an alternative to the feudal, military and neo- imperialist system. "The worldwide upsurge against global capitalism and its drive for hegemony have lent strength to these efforts".
Judges need to refresh their oaths, says Abid Minto
Staff Report ISLAMABAD: The judges of the higher judiciary are bound to revive their oaths of office under the Constitution of 1973, particularly after the inclusion of the Legal Frame Work Order of 2002 in the Constitution, said constitutional expert Abid Hasan Minto to newsmen on Thursday.
“Although there is a clause (Article 270C) in the LFO which says that after the restoration of the Constitution, judges would be deemed to have taken oath under the Constitution, surely judges have not taken oath under that Constitution which now contains the LFO. Therefore they are required to take oath under the amended Constitution,” said Mr Minto. He added that the oath of office was not merely a formality, but reflected an attitude and a belief.
About the rise of religious parties in the October elections, Mr Minto believes the Inter Services Intelligence (ISI) had an active role in promoting the Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA). He rejected that anti-US sentiment were the main factor in the increased popularity of religious parties. Mr Minto said religious forces had emerged during the regime of Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto, when Mufti Mahmood headed the NWFP government and religious parties became part of a coalition government in Balochistan.
However, he said, the MMA could not to impose its agenda in the country, as the establishment behind the Jamali government and international pressure would not allow this. Mr Minto said the motto of the Jamali government is continuity of the game. As long as they are willing to continue the policies of President Musharraf they are in, he added.
NWP call to abolish jirga, panchayat systems
ISLAMABAD, Sept 24: Eminent constitutional expert and politician Abid Hassan Minto on Friday said the tribal jirga and panchayat systems existed due to the prevailing outdated socio-economic system in the country.
He held the ruling clique responsible for what he called the existence of the jirga and panchayat systems, which were parallel to the prevailing judicial system.
The jirga and panchayat systems always had a tacit support of successive governments and politicians and continue to exist despite a constitutional and judicial system in place.
"Arbitrary and undemocratic governments in the past and present have supported these illegal and unjustified systems," said Mr Minto during his presentation on "Tribal Justice, Parallel Judiciary and Human Rights".
The discussion was arranged by the Centre for Democratic Development of the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan. Mr Minto informed the audience, comprising legislators, civil society representatives, political and human rights activists and law officers, how the outdated and mediaeval tribal judicial system had authorized one person or a group of people with little knowledge of law to give death and other sentences and set social, cultural and political norms.
Among those who attended the discussion included Senator Farhatullah Babar, MNA Kunwar Khalid Yunus, former law secretary Dr Faqir Hussain, Dr A.H. Nayyar and Lady MNAs from NWFP.
These jirgas and panchayats, legal or non-legal, have been manned by Maliks, Sardars and feudal lords, by authority who owned large pieces of land and controlled socio-economic activities of the poor people living off their lands.
"These feudal lords are highly influential and control decision-making processes, parliament and determine societal norms whether good or bad," he said. To make matters worse, Mr Minto said, the jirgas had gradually infiltrated into the life of the people and had now been accepted as a "legal exercise".
He said in jirga and panchayat systems women and down- trodden people had no access to justice and influential was always benefited. "The feudal mentality has pervaded the modern urban life. MNAs, senators and ministers have supported jirga and panchayat systems as it helps them perpetuate their authority in their areas.
The tribal jirga system has now been institutionalized," the left-wing politician said. "Jirga and panchayat systems will remain in place as long as feudal and tribal systems continue to exist despite being declared unlawful by a high court."
Karo-kari and killings in the name of honour were murder cases and not beyond the law of the land. Mr Minto regretted that those who had responsibility to eliminate these social scourges themselves were part of the feudal and tribal systems and protecting it.
He urged the legislators to frame new laws to eradicate this parallel system of justice. Panchayats have been held in Punjab by so-called modern societies where people had been killed and women gang-raped.
Mr Minto said the practice had become more violent now than ever before and horrible incidences of honour killings and massive human rights violations in southern Punjab and Sindh were highlighted in the national and international media.
"While the civilized world demands an end to death sentence, we in Pakistan have endless debates on how to kill a human being." Mediaeval mind-set interpreters of Islamic principles and teachings have added fuel to the fire and are equally responsible for encouraging these barbaric and inhuman practices, he remarked.
"Courts have failed to deliver justice to the common man. Unless justice is done this parallel judiciary system will flourish and the common man will continue to accept it," said Mr Minto and added that the system of dispensing justice was unfair as political structures and democratic institutions were weak and almost non-existent in the country.
The representatives of the people have also failed to organize and mobilise the people who were suffering and take solid steps for abolishing this illegal practice. The jirga and panchayat system must be abolished to steer the country out of feudal and tribal systems, which has been a source of grave human rights violations.
He was of the view that there were two types of jirgas: one legal and the other illegal. Legal jirgas have legal cover and these are part of the tribal society in tribal belt and their decisions can be challenged in higher courts but the panchayats in other parts of country held by powerful feudal lords having absolute authority depict the mediaeval era.
Answering a question, he said British rulers used feudal lords for their interests and strengthened the feudal system in the South Asian subcontinent. He was of the view that these social evils could not be eliminated only through legislation and stressed the need for creating awareness in the society to abolish this system.
In the court of literature
Nukta-e-Nazar
Abid Hassan Minto
Published by Multi-Media Affairs, Lahore
Price: Rs 300
Pages: 368
By Abdul Hafeez
The book under review is a collection of literary articles Abid Hassan Minto wrote mainly during the decades of 1950 and 1960. Though Nukta-e-Nazar also contains some of his fresh writings, but its mainstay remains his earlier articles which earned him lots of accolades.
Abid Hasan Minto is a lawyer, intellectual, political activist and a writer. Born on February 3, 1932, in Rawalpindi, Abid Minto did his bachelor's in law in 1955, and started legal practice in 1956. He penned a number of articles in his late twenties. He also played an important role in trade unionism.
As a writer, he employs Marxist principals of reasoning and analysis. While discussing any issue in the book under review, he builds his thesis in line with the canons of Marxism. Over the decades, this has become the hallmark of Abid Hassan Minto's literary style -- his ideological commitment serves as the benchmark for his literary criticism. No wonder his thought-provoking writings have inspired many a student of literature.
The second distinguishing characteristic of his writing has its basis in his professional training. Like an excellent lawyer, he makes a case and pleads it by backing it with concrete arguments. As a fair comment on his professional and literary capabilities, he carries the day most of the times. His powerful argumentation is always based on reason and logic.
Minto is a thorough realist. He lashes out at romanticism and asserts that realism should be the guiding principle not only in literature but also in life. Quite successfully, he has discussed what progressive literature can mean by dilating upon its operative principles and guiding objectives.
His expression is devoid of any ambiguity. He is a champion of human rights who has also worked relentlessly for the restoration of democracy in Pakistan.
He is known as an ardent supporter of progressive literature. In several articles, he has tried to remove misunderstandings about the progressive writers' movement created by the 'reactionaries' deliberately and maliciously. To him, subjectivity is nothing if it is not a reflection of objectivity.
Romanticism, Abid Minto believes, gave rise to idealism and escapism. He declares that all romanticists were, in fact, escapists and in order to escape the objective realities, they took refuge in idealism and imagination. In support of his contention, he cites the example of Oscar Wilde. He also calls Keats, Wordsworth and Shelley as romantic poets but singles out Wordsworth who, according to him, is never pessimistic and always keeps the flame of optimism and hope burning in the darkness of despair and depression.
Minto firmly believes that the fundamental objective of the progressive literature is to ensure conscious participation of people in the process of social change and wage wars on retrogressive forces. He raises two very important questions: Are there any constant literary values? Can a writer ignore objective realities?
Replying his own questions, he says that values are never stagnant; they are bound to change. So the concept that there exist some constant literary values does not hold. He also contends that a writer cannot ignore realities of life around him. When a writer describes his expressions as the outcome of his personal experiences, he, in fact, is conceding that his expression came into existence as a reaction to the objective conditions which have a direct or indirect effect on his life.
Minto observes that progressive thought had a tangible impact on all major Urdu poets and writers. Poets like Nasir Kazmi, Shohrat Bukhari and Shahzad Ahmad were also influenced by the progressive traditions," he claims Those aware of Shahzad Ahmad's political philosophy will surely disagree with Minto. They exclaim how can an orthodox, conservative poet like Shahzad be said to have progressive influences. But Minto seems to be impressed by the imagery Shahzad employs in his poetry.
Minto has also lambasted Marxian critics. He believes that Marxian critics are directionless, confused and groping in the dark because they have renounced dialectical materialism in their writings. Even the renowned critics like Ehtesham Hussain and Mumtaz Hussain are not spared by him. He insists that Ehtesham's criticism is unbalanced and to some extent irrational.
Minto is dead set against the philosophy of existentialism. In his article entitled 'You cannot escape objective realities', he has forcefully attacked the existential school of thought.
He blasts Sajjad Baqar Rizvi, Intizar Husain and Anis Nagi for their pronouncement that 'objective realities can be determined by subjective reaction'. Minto asks how can a subjective reaction be possible without being dependent upon the objective realities. This question, he says, has never been answered by the existentialists.
Saadat Hasan Manto and Balwant Singh are Minto's most favorite short story writers. He is all praise for them on the ground that both of them were great social realists.
Though Minto's fame mostly rests on his professional competence as a lawyer, his skills as a literary critic have also earned him a lot of praise. As a critic, he is articulate, communicative and unambiguous. As a lawyer, he has pleaded numerous cases in the courts of law but now he has submitted his own case in the court of literature. The judges here are his readers. He seems to be confident of winning this case as well.
Pakistan Kissan Committee's Protest Against the Water Crisis
WATER CRISIS: Farmers have criticised local members of assemblies of ruling party for not taking interest in ending the canal water shortage in Toba Tek Singh district.
Addressing a protest meeting of farmers at Chutiana, representatives of farmers said that water shortage was not an issue of a single party. The public meeting was presided over by Pakistan
Kissan Committee president Ch.Fateh Muhammad and was addressed by former MPA Mian Muhammad Rafiq, former Zila Council member Ch Mukhtar Ahmad advocate, PKC district president Ch Abdul Latif, Ch Farzand Ali and Ch Muhammad Zubair. The speakers urged the farmers of the area to participate in a protest procession of farmers gainst ater shortage, levy of agriculture tax on small farmers, on July 7, at Toba Tek Singh.
