March, 24 2005	Thursday	13 Safar 1426

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TOBA TEK SINGH, March 23: The International Kissan Conference, attended by the delegates from Afghanistan, India, China, the US and the UK, besides Pakistan, concluded here on Wednesday evening. National Workers Party chief Abid Hasan Minto said the 1970 historic moot had resulted in the agricultural reforms of 1972. But after that, the leftists became silent and now after 35 years they once again gathered to launch struggle for the poor farmers and workers. He criticized feudalism and demanded its eradication. He also demanded that all federal departments be given to provinces except defence, currency and communications.

Balochistan National Party chief Dr Abdul Hayee Baloch said military action was in progress in Balochistan and this was the fifth occasion when Balochs faced action — 1948, 1958, 1963, 1972 and now in 2005.

He claimed that the Gwadar port was not being developed for the Baloch people. In fact it was being built for the international capitalists and land mafia.

He said 15 districts were affected by the recent floods in Balochistan but the government did nothing for the marooned..

Dr Baloch said there was no justification of setting up of Cantonments in Balochistan as the rulers claimed that Pakistan had no conflict with Iran, Afghanistan and India so it was clear that cantonments were being built to occupy the land and subjugate the people.

Tehrik-i-Insaaf former secretary-general Meraj Khan said until progressive political parties and organizations united the struggle for the solution of the problems faced by the poor masses would linger on.

Sindh Awami Tehrik chief Rasool Bakhsh Palejo said half of the province had no water for irrigation and drinking. There were many areas where villagers face hardship for giving a bath to their deads for burial. He demanded trial of the rulers for depriving the province of its share of water.

Kissan Rabita Committee secretary-general Farooq Tariq stated the MMA and the rulers were one and the same thing and the march was just a gimmick.

If the MMA was faithful in launching anti-government movement, it should quit government in the NWFP and Balochistan, he added. He opposed Kalabagh dam and said in fact the rulers were trying to provide water to the lands allotted to the generals.

He criticized the Toba district Nazim for failure to solve water crisis of the district.

Karachi’s labour leader Begum Kaneez Fatima said there was no political party which had a programme for labourers. She said socialism did not fail in Russia, but bureaucrats had failed.

Mazdoor Kissan Party chief Afzal Khamosh said until real representatives of farmers and workers reached the assemblies the system would stay.

Mushtaq Lashari from the UK said there were more than 50 per cent people in the US and Western countries who opposed war in Iraq.

Johnson Wong of China said peasants should be greeted for their struggle for their rights.

Diyal Singh Bhagri and Autar Singh of India criticized globalisation and liberalisations slogans and said all this was being done to make the poor farmers of both India and Pakistan slaves.

Begum Tahira Mazhar Ali Khan of Lahore urged the poor people to never sell their votes to rich candidates who never speak in their favour in assemblies.

Bhora Mull of Sindh, Iqbal Rind of the Watan Dost Mazdoor Mahaz, Yousaf Masti Khan of Karachi and Aqeela Naz of the Kanewal Anjuman Mazaraen also addressed the conference.

Through a resolution, the conference opposed retrenchment of more than 8,000 employees of Habib Bank and other government and semi-government institutions.