LAHORE: Rich tributes were paid to comrade Islamul Haq at a condolence reference here on Sunday.

Those who spoke included Munoo Bhai, Prof Ijazul Hasan, Prof Azizuddin Ahmed, Sardar Aseff Ahmad Ali, Farooq Tariq and Pervaiz Saleh.

Munoo Bhai said the late Haq was an ideologue and usually preferred to listen to others instead of talking himself. He urged the progressives to come forward and do practical work as mullahs had become a threat to the ideology of the country.

He said he had told PPP co-chairperson Asif Zardari that the party could become active only if someone could mobilise the people to reach the polling booth.

Farooq Tariq, secretary general of Awami Workers’ Party, said the best way to pay homage to the late comrade was strengthening the movement of the Left.

Referring to JI emir Sirajul Haq’s wearing s red turban and eating meal with coolies and expression of jubilation by some of the progressives on it, he said it was rather a matter of concern as the right wing was fast occupying the space left vacant by the Left.

Mr Hasan said those craving to change society must first of all change themselves.

Mr Saleh recalled that Islamul Haq had taken active part in trade union, socialist and lawyers’ movements but without seeking any office. He said the socialist ideology was alive against impression of many but the ideology had been grabbed by the ‘wrong’ people.

Published in Dawn, May 4th, 2015

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