HYDERABAD: Hari leaders and rights activists have paid rich tributes to comrade Jam Saqi for his struggle for the rights of peasants and downtrodden people.

Addressing the second death anniversary of Saqi at Sindh Museum here on Thursday organised by Jam Saqi Yadgar Committee, they said comrade Saqi devoted his life to challenge dictators.

Writer and academic Dr Riaz Shaikh said Jam Saqi was a man of commitment and he was the product of the era when people used to talk about revolutions. He said he met Jam Saqi first in 1987. Karl Marx had witnessed different conditions but today the situation had drastically changed at the international level and a new narrative and debate would have to be introduced to continue the struggle, he said.

He said it was time to discuss how fascism was introduced in the country after exploitative system. He said that due to the pressure of international forces, characters of fascism were controlled, but whenever this pressure was eased, those would raise their head.

Awami Workers Party president Dr Bakhshal Thalho said that as long as the capitalist system existed, Marxism would also be there. He said that whenever labourers were united, people like Jam Saqi were born. Leftists alone were not progressive and socialist because nationalists and democrats had also fought for fundamental rights and faced trials and tribulations.

He said criticism should be welcomed, but within certain parameters. Behavioural changes were also needed and a new organisation should be handed over to new generation, he said, adding that society was changing and students and women marches would reveal new things. He said extremist forces were weak. He said that those who had opposed “mera jism meri marzi” campaign were in deep trouble.

Human Rights Commission of Pakistan activist Imdad Chandio said Saqi followed the United Front narrative and the anti-One Unit front was its example where the comrade had played an important role. He said comrade Jam Saqi was among those who had opposed military action in former East Pakistan.

Dr Bakhtawar Jam, daughter of Jam Saqi, said that past would have to be revisited if comrade Jam Saqi was to be discussed. The comrade never bargained over principles and always remained steadfast, she added.

She said he believed in tolerance and brotherhood. Though Zulfikar Ali Bhutto imprisoned him, Saqi always supported democracy, she said. Flags of the Communist Party and Jeay Sindh Movement were there in the long march launched by her father, she said.

Published in Dawn, March 6th, 2020