Comrades!
I am speaking to you from a police cell in Gujranwala, the fifth largest city in Pakistan, where I was arrested this morning, together with 150 of my comrades, for the crime of protesting against the dictatorship of Pervez Musharraf. We were leading a mass demonstration of thousands of ordinary people, poor people who support the PPP and oppose the dictatorship.
Yesterday our parliament (the National Assembly) was dissolved after five years. For this period I have fought as a member of parliament for the rights of working people. I have fought in parliament, in the factories, in the streets and in the villages. I have fought against reactionary labour laws, against unemployment, against poverty and injustice.
We have had important victories. We defeated the attempt to privatise Pakistan Steel. But the real struggle begins now: my struggle together with the masses to end this injustice. We know that our struggle is supported by our friends and comrades in other countries and this gives us strength to continue despite all obstacles.
Comrades, those who doubted our perspectives for the rebirth of the People’s Party have been proved wrong. The sectarian parties and groups have been liquidated overnight, wiped out by the movement of the masses. Now nobody can doubt that the whole movement will proceed through the PPP. These arrests will not deter us. The struggle will go on. We will continue to fight for the revolution, for socialism.
To the working people of all countries who are supporting us I have only this message. We are fighting against dictatorship and martial law, for democratic rights. But my struggle is not only against dictatorship. It is also against the system that spawns dictatorship: capitalism and feudalism. And my struggle will not end until this unjust and oppressive system is finally overthrown.
As long as there is still hunger, unemployment and homelessness our struggle cannot end. It will never end until there is socialism in Pakistan and all over the world.
Please send my greetings to all the comrades of the International. Send my greetings to all my friends and comrades and to all the workers of the world.
Victory to the masses!
Victory to the working class!
Together we can win!
Zindabad!
Manzoor Ahmed,
In Model Town Police Station in Gujranwala, Pakistan
November 16, 2007
We appeal to all workers and labour organisations to send messages of protest to their local embassies. Telephone calls should be made to embassies and consulates in order to put the necessary urgent pressure on the regime to secure Manzoor's release. You can find information on the Pakistani embassies and consulates in your country here. Send messages of support and solidarity to info [at] ptudc.org.