LAHORE: A coalition of 36 organisations has decided to launch a mass movement to combat growing inequalities in the country.

This decision was made during a “people’s assembly” held in Multan, which was attended by over 100 social and political activists from across Pakistan.

The assembly also resolved to organise two major peasant and workers’ conferences in Hyderabad and Jhang during October. Additionally, a 29-member federal council was elected under the umbrella of the Fight Inequality Alliance Pakistan to lead the struggle against inequalities.

Farooq Tariq, general secretary of Pakistan Kisan Rabita Committee, said that inequalities based on income, ethnicity, race and religion are increasing fast in the country which is a clear failure of the system. The loans taken from the world agencies under the state’s sovereignty are mainly used to sustain the luxuries of the elite, he said, adding when it comes to returning the money the poor masses are made to pay through direct and indirect taxes.

Riffet Maqsood said that workers were forced to live under miserable conditions because when they did not collectively demand a raise in their salary and if they did so, they were simply expelled from their jobs. Contrary to that, indirect taxes in the form of 18pc GST are unfairly imposed on the working and salaried classes of the country.

Ali Khoso, chairman of Sindh Hari Jedojehad Committee, said that in the backdrop of climate catastrophe looming large on the poor farmers, it has become pertinent that the marginalised people joined hands to put up a collective fight against the elite classes.

Published in Dawn, August 31st, 2024