Speakers pay homage to Fanoos Gujjar, vow to take forward his struggle against exploitation of oppressed people, nations
Islamabad, Jan 15: Speakers at a gathering stressed the need for unity of all progressive and democratic and secular forces to fight onslaught of the anti-democratic and extremist forces on democratic institutions and exploitation of working class.
They were speaking at a big gathering held to observe 40 days (Chehlum) of Fanoos Gujjar, president of Awami Workers Party (AWP) at Riyal, the native village of the late leader in Buner district.
The party leaders from Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa, Punjab, Sindh, Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Kashmir and women activists attended the Chehlum and expressed solidarity with the bereaved family and pledged to expedite their efforts in taking forward the late leader’s struggle for the rights of the working class, oppressed nations.
The roads leading to the village were decorated with party flags, and big hoardings of the top leadership.
Prominent among those who attended the event included AWP’s acting President Yousaf Mastikhan, Vice-President Abida Chaudhry, general secretary Akhtar Hussain Advocate, spokesperson Farooq tariq, central Information secretary Farman Ali, UK party chapter leader Zakir Hussain, Ikram Jamal from GB, Prof Hamidur Rehman of Qaumi Watan Party, Shaheed Mashal Khan’s father Iqbal Lala, Sherzaman of PML-N, Afzal Khamosh of Mazdoor Kissan Party of his own faction, Atlas Khan of the Awami National Party, Qazi Hakeem and others.
AWP Pakhtunkhwa chapter President Shahab Khattak, Punjab President Dr Asim Sajjad Akhtar, Sindh Hari Committee secretary Younus Raho, KP general secretary Engineer Haider Zaman, Buner district general secretary Maizullah Khan, late Fanoos Gujjar’s adopted son and political heir Usman Gujjar and district leaders, activists and a large number of people from surrounding villages attended the event.
AWP acting President Yousaf Mastikhan, while addressing the participants, showered praise on Fanoos Gujjar, saying that he remained committed to his ideals and fought not only for the rights of the oppressed nations, downtrodden and marginalized communities in Pakistan but also for the rights of Pakistan9i expatriate workers in Malaysia and Middle East.
He pointed finger at the establishment for the current political and economic crises in Pakistan. “The parliament and democratic spaces have been encroached upon by the establishment through its puppet political party.
He regretted that no one is daring to report and discuss the woes of the people of Balochistan where hundreds of people have been kidnapped and killed thousands are still missing. Balochistan and KP have become epicentres of proxy wars and warned the rulers to refrain from becoming part of these wars.
AWP Secretary General, Akhtar Hussain said that the sacrifices and contribution of Fanoos sb for the cause of the working people is a guiding light for the party leadership and cadre.
He fought for democracy throughout life and challenged the powerful elite and institutions for which he was imprisoned by military dictator Ziaul Haq and tortured due to which he lost one of his kidneys.
AWP Punjab President Dr Asim Sajjad said that although Fanoos sb has departed us physically, his ideology and struggle are in our hearts and will always remain with us until we succeed in uprooting the neo-colonial exploitative system and dethrone the establishment from political and economic arena.
AWP spokesman Farooq Tariq said Fanoos sb was not an individual but a movement and a torch bearer of struggle for the rights of the landless tenants of Malakand, Okara military farms and other oppressed people. He fuly supported the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement in its struggle for social justice, and rights in tribal areas.
Abid Chaudhry, vice-president of the AWP, said that the Fanoos sb not only raised his voice for the oppressed nations, but also for the rights of working class women.
On this occasion, Usman Gujjar, Fanoos sb’s nephew he had adopted as his son was elected president of AWP Buner District.
The speakers demanded immediate release of the AWP FC member Baba Jan, Anjuman-e-Muzareen Punjab general secretary Mehr Abdul Sattar, Younis Iqbal.