KARACHI, Dec 23: Progressive and Marxist leaders and activists of South Asia on Friday vowed to continue their struggle for peace, amity and tolerance, as well as economic and political emancipation of the people of the region and to force their respective governments to demolish barriers in free movement of their people.

Speaking at the inaugural session of the centenary celebrations of Sajjad Zaheer, founder of Progressive Writers Association, they said his struggle for the rights of the oppressed people, individual freedom, and independence was still relevant and would remain so as long as the exploitative and anti-people forces continued their fascist activities.

The inaugural session was presided over Sobho Gianchnad. A strong Indian delegation had come to participate in the centenary celebrations. Bangaladesh was also represented on the podium.

Those who spoke included the chief guest, Indian film actor Rajj Babbar, husband of Sajjad Zaheer’s daughter Nadira; Hameed Akhtar, Dr Kamla Parshad Panday, Noor Sajjad Zaheer, Ibrahim Joyo, A K Hangal, Sita Ram Achri of the Indian Communist Party, comrade Mujahidul Islam of Bangladesh, Saifur Rahman Grami and Dr Ali Javed. The inaugural session was held at the auditorium of the Arts Council.

Paying tribute to Sajjad Zaheer, the participants said his commitment to independence of subcontinent could be gauged from the fact that he joined the mainstream political struggle against the British colonial rule in the subcontinent.

They said Sajjad Zaheer, who was instrumental in organizing the Communist Party in Pakistan, always worked for an exploitation-free society and his PWA influenced and galvanized writers, poets and different branches of creative art.

Some of the speakers said if anyone felt that the political division could be undone in the sub-continent, he or she was indulging in a wishful thinking. The effort, on the contrary, they said, should be to promote peace and amity.

Concern was also expressed on the restrictive visa regime between India and Pakistan and it was suggested that instead of city specific, it should be country-specific.

It was stated that in the contemporary world, the forces of evil were getting an upper hand against those who were striving for a peaceful society based on human dignity and equality.

Despite the changing world order, the leading progressives and communists from across the divide saw light at the end of the tunnel.

Sajjad Zaheer’s daughter said her father was a good writer because he was a communist and because he was also a good human being, and because he was near to the common man.

Leader of the Indian delegation, Dr Kamla Parshad was highly impressed by the reception his colleagues were accorded at Wagha.

The participants also referred to the difficulties they faced in the formative phase of the PWA and formation of communist party in this part of the world.

They were of the view that in this age of globalization, western imperialism was once against trying to establish its stranglehold and trying to subjugate every country by blocking the class struggle for perpetuating capitalism.

It was, therefore, imperative for the media and the men of letters to educate people on the draconian consequences of the neo-colonialism which had become pro-active since the dismemberment of the Soviet Union.

Tracing the evolution of PWA and communist Party in Pakistan, the participants also referred to the difficulties faced by the activists because of the policies of the government.

They pointed out that in Pakistan where even its founding party was not allowed to exercise full political power and where democracy was subverted by the bureaucracy (both civil and military), Sajjad Zaheer showed courage by founding the communist party of which he was the first general secretary.

If he had not come to Pakistan, there would have been no communist party, here, they said.

Some of the participants were of the view that communism had not been wiped out after the demise of the Soviet Union because it identified itself with the oppressed and down-trodden.

“If communism will be wiped out, who will speak for the poor,” they said.

In the context of progressive struggle in the subcontinent, they said that despite division of the territory, mind-set of the people aspiring for freedom, equality and independence could not be blocked.

They were of the view that progressive writers had great responsibility because individual’s freedom was main plank of Sajjad Zaheer’s struggle.

They said whatever cadre existed in Pakistan was due to the struggle of Sajjad Zaheer in the formative phase of the communist movement in the subcontinent.

Presence of a strong Indian delegation was symbolic of growing people-to- people contact in which the progressive writers and activists were playing a leading role on either side of the divide.

Each and every member of the Indian delegation was presented the tradition Sindhi Ajrak and a shield. The Indian delegation included writers, poets, journalists and activists. Before the inaugural session, a play was staged which depicted the progressive struggle.