CMKP at Young Leaders Conference International

CMKP Punjab president was invited to a panel discussion on the topic ‘Geo-politics in the world today’ at the Young Leaders Conference International. Along with the CMKP were invited representatives of the major political parties of Pakistan and a spokesman of the government. Farooq Sattar was representing the MQM, Taj Haider was representing the peoples party, Jehangir Rahman of the Tehrik e Insaaf, Barrister Bacha former member of the ANP, and Niaz Siddique Inspector General of police and Chief Instructor at NIPA representing the government were also present at the panel discussion. Some 210 students from all over the country were present at the conference. It was a well covered media event.

Initially students were was quite pro-Musharraf chanting slogans in favour of the government. Main stream politicians were being very diplomatic and stating their point of view in a very round about manner. In this country even powerful politicians become fearful at the thought of crossing swords with the military especially on a public forum. Such open criticism is never without its costs.

The CMKP Punjab President lambasted the string of military dictatorships that Pakistan has experienced in its brief history of 57 years as the root cause of the crisis in the country today. ‘The completely undemocratic dismissal of Jamali and the complete authoritarian control of the military should leave no one in doubt about whether Pakistan is a military dictatorship or a democracy’ he said. He also spoke about the history of politics in Pakistan and how the 1968 consensus for a democratic secular constitutional welfare state that found its _expression in the PPP was demolished not only by the military from without but also by the progressive de-radicalization and corruption of the PPP in the last two decades. By the end of the speech the mood had decidedly shifted against the military and people began to applaud at the defense of democratic principles in relation to military rule by the CMKP.

The visible change in the mood of the audience had an immediate impact on the other mainstream politicians as well and they also began to critique the military with greater vigor. After the panel discussion Imran Khan of the tehrik e Insaaf also spoke against military dictatorship further strengthening the case for an end to military rule. During the break students more or less completely ignored the mainstream political leaders and flocked to the CMKP representative to ask questions about socialism and communism in Pakistan. In fact, the CMKP representative was asked to stay on and give another talk since students had expressed so much interest.

On the whole, the most significant aspect of this event was the fact that the CMKP was invited on a basis of equality with the mainstream parties of Pakistan (despite the fact that the CMKP does not have members in parliament). This was in recognition of the fact that the CMKP is clearly emerging as a force. The strength of our party is in its advanced theory that allows a smaller party to appear larger than life and over-shadow mainstream politicians who are altogether ignorant of Marxism-Leninism. We have every reason to feel proud of our accomplishments not because we desire any kind of bourgeois respectability but because when a party is visibly growing it automatically begins to command respect from its competitors and foes alike.

Communism is not a fringe movement destined to occupy a tiny minority opinion.

Communism is the movement of the vast majority of the oppressed

Communism is the future of humanity and therefore must be brought back onto the agenda of the day.

Today the CMKP took another small step in that direction.