LAHORE: An autobiography titled ‘Jo Hum Pey Guzri’ by founder of peasants’ movement and a prominent political leader, Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad, was launched at the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan on Saturday.

The launch was jointly organised by Sanjh and the Awami Workers Party (AWP).

The chief guest on the occasion was the author, Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad, while the function was presided over by AWP President Abid Hassan Manto.

On the occasion, Anjuman Mazareen Punjab secretary general Mehar Abdul Sattar said Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad waged a long struggle for the peasants’ rights.

He said when Pakistan Kisan Rabta Committee was formed in 2007, Fateh Muhammad was made its president because he had been raising voice for the workers’ rights since long.

AWP secretary general Farooq Tariq said the kind of book Fateh Muhammad had written was badly needed because no cohesive history of peasants’ movement was available.

Praising the author’s sharp memory, Mr Tariq said the autobiography contained the names of the villages, people and places which remained in focus during the peasants’ movement.

He said the book also revealed the political movement started in different villages located near Toba Tek Singh, the place where in 1970 the biggest peasants conference so far was held.

He said the conference was also attended by prominent literary personalities including Faiz Ahmed Faiz, Ahmed Rahi and others who stayed at the author’s house.

Mr Tariq, however, regretted that during Zia regime TT Singh became a hub of fundamentalists. He said it was the time that feudalism and capitalism should be eliminated from the country.

Nighat Saeed Khan lauded the author for his sharp memory and praised the way he had described a series of events that took place during the movement. She said the book was especially important for those who had been part of the leftist movement in Pakistan.

Veteran journalist and Human Rights activist Husain Naqi praised the book for the interest it created among the readers. He then shared with the audience how he participated in Toba historical conference. He said the book depicted well the leftist movement in a lucid manner.

Chaudhry Fateh Muhammad, who was given a standing ovation when he came on the stage, shared with the audience when and why he wrote his autobiography. He said he moved to his son’s place in London in 2011 where friends suggested him to write his autobiography since he had ample time there. He said he wrote the book between 2011-13.

Mr Muhammad said he had written the book impartially and had tried to describe the hardships faced by people and the movement through it.

Abid Hassan Manto urged different leftist groups to unite and join the AWP to make it a mainstream party having some impact as revolutions could not be brought while moving alone.

He rapped main political parties for having pro-capitalist and pro-feudalism policies.

Addressing the leftists, he deplored that “though we all want change in society, we don’t gather at one platform”.

He said the party and the movement should expand and religious extremism should come to an end in the country.

Published in Dawn, January 24th, 2016