LAHORE, March 17: Hundreds of peasants, workers, students and labour activists from across Punjab marched here on various city thoroughfares on Saturday, demanding a transformation of the national security state into a people’s welfare state.

They called for a reformed electoral system to facilitate the real representation of the working and unprivileged class of Pakistan.

The rally was organised by the Workers Party Pakistan (WPP) and participated by Anjuman Mazarain Punjab (AMP), Pakistan Trade Union Federation, All-Pakistan Workers Union, Railway Workers Union, All Pakistan Alliance of Katchi Abadis, National Students Federation (NSF) and Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF).

The rally reflected a colourful sight with scores of red flags and banners amid slogans by the participants against imperialism, military establishment, feudalism and capitalism.

Led by WPP chief Abid Hasan Minto, the rally moved from railway station to Lakshmi Chowk and then to Shimla Hill (in front of press club) where it concluded after speeches.

Speaking on the occasion, WPP President Abid Hasan Minto said the intelligence agencies continued to manipulate the political process particularly during general elections. “There is no enforcement of the bar on spending in elections which means it isimpossible for ordinary citizens to participate in the electoral process.”

He said it was the need of the hour to cultivate good relations with neighbouring countries besides making a cut in defence budget and diverting it to health, education, and other people’s needs as the main focus of the state policy. He said the landreform agenda must be revived with immediate effect in order to dismantle the feudalistic basis of the political system in the country. “In similar vein Katchi Abadi dwellers in all urban areas should be granted proprietary rights,” Mr Minto said, adding the transformation of the national security state into a people’s welfare state should also be ensured so as to get rid of religious extremism that was still being fanned by elements of establishment. He also expressed solidarity of Punjab’s workers and peasants with the people of Balochistan.

WPP Secretary-General Akhtar Husain on the occasion said the recent rhetoric of ‘revolution’ and a ‘politics of change’ by some politicians betrayed the fact that none of Pakistan’s mainstream parties had any interest in genuinely challenging the oligarchic system and thereby democratising Pakistani state and society. He said the only real anti-imperialist and anti-establishment forces could save the country from multiple crises.

Earlier, BLLF Secretary-General Ms Ghulam Fatima criticised the rulers for not protecting rights of labourers including the brick kiln workers. She said though the Punjab government had already notified payment of minimum wage of Rs517 (per 1,000 bricks) to workers about two years ago, the brick kiln owners were massively violating the government’s notification by paying Rs200 to 250 to their employees.

Mehr Abdul Sattar from AMP demanded that the government award ownership rights to thousands of tenants who had been cultivating the state land for decades. Aashiq Chaudhry, Alia Amirali, Aasim Sajjad and others also spoke on the occasion.