Pakistan: LPP leaders evade arrest & go underground to prepare for Long March

From Farooq Tariq of the LPP

Dear all,

Labour Party Pakistan has directed all its members to go for an all out effort to participate in the long march. LPP Sindh has planned two buses to join the long march tomorrow on 12 March from Karachi. Majority of LPP participants are working class women. They will join the long march despite all the threats of being arrested.

Here in Lahore, LPP representatives participated in an organizing committee meeting called by Lahore High Court Bar Association. LPP Punjab will also join the long march from Lahore with two buses. The long march participants will be welcomed by comrades of LPP in almost all the major cities on the route of the long march. The LPP Lahore will participate in the Thursday rally of the lawyers.

In Lahore, police made a failed attempt to arrest two main leaders of LPP late last night. Police was looking for the house of Azra Shad, chairperson Women Workers Help Line and a member national committee of LPP. In another attempt, Rana Asharaf, district secretary LPP Sheikhupura, made a successful escape from being arrested late last night. They both alongside with dozens of others will participate in the long march despite the police threats.

I have gone underground again late last night. Although, police had not turned up my home as was the usual case in such circumstances, comrades advised me to go to a safer place. This was due to my health problems. I will not be part of the long march physically as I am still on a rest after going through the angioplasty. However, comrades of LPP will not let anyone feel my absence by their active participation. Before I left home late last night, I was interviewed by Kawish Television Networks (KTN) about the arrests and the effects. The anchor person, Manzoor Sheikh was curious to know what is happening in Punjab. I told him that it is not a national question. It is simple question of betrayal by PPP leadership who happened to be from Sindh.

It seems that PPP regime is on retreat after being very aggressive in stopping the proposed long march. They have arrested over 500 political activists. The strategy to deal with the opposition is very much the same as was the case under Musharaf. "Arrest the activists and not the main leadership" is the theme behind the whole sale arrests. The Prime Minister Yousaf raza Gilani told the a gathering that he will speak to president Zaradari tomorrow about the lifting of governor rule in Punjab. He made vague remarks of the possible new Punjab government. He also tried to say that he will resolve the issue of the judiciary.

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