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Labour Party Pakistan joins All Parties Democratic Movement

LPP announced yesterday that it is formally joining the APDM. The announcement was made by Mehmood Achakzai, convener APDM, on 10^th December at a press conference held at Imran Khan’s residence. Mehmood Achakzai was elected as new convener after Muslim League Nawaz announced to participate in the general elections. He is the main leader of Pushtoon Khawa Mili Awami Party, a nationalist party.

He announced that a total of 25 political parties have agreed to reject the general elections under Musharaf military dictatorship and we will launch a mass movement to boycott these fraudulent elections.

Nisar Shah newly elected general secretary LPP and Farooq Tariq spokesperson LPP were present on the occasion. As the announcement was made, there was spontaneous clapping even by dozens of journalists present for the press conference.

On 10^th December, a new APDM was born. APDM was originally established in July 2007 in London on the motivation of Pakistan Muslim League Nawaz (PMLN). It had in its fold the MMA, the religious fundamentalist party’s alliance, Muslim League Nawaz, Imran Khan”s Tehreek Insaaf and two parties from the Left Alliance AJT.  The balance of power within the APDM was in favor of religious parties and right wing parties. With the announcement of general elections, two main parties of APDM left to contest the elections.

During the last two meetings of APDM, it was decided to boycott the elections. But on 9^th December, the PMLN opted to contest election as a “gesture of protest” and for the restoration of judiciary. A vast majority of political parties associated with APDM decided to continue to build the movement to overthrow the dictatorship while rejecting to participate in the elections.  On 10^th December, majority of the religious parties and PMLN were excluded from this alliance leaving only one major religious party Jamaat-I-Islami in APDM. A new radical leadership is been chosen.

Looking into these developments, LPP decided to join APDM. The balance of power within APDM has fundamentally shifted towards the radical nationalist parties. All the Nationalist parties with a massive vote bank in Baluchistan are in the lead of APDM. They include Akbar Bughti Jamhoori Watan Party, Baluchistan National Movement of Akhtar Mangal, Pukhtoonkhawa Mili Awami Party of Mehmood Achakzai and National Party of Hai Baluch and Hasil Bazinjo.  With the background of nationalist exploitation by the successive military and civil governments in Pakistan, it was necessary that progressive forces of Pakistan particularly in Punjab joins these nationalists who have decided to fight the military dictatorship.

Labour Party Pakistan had initially announced not to participate in this APDM. At the time, the balance of power within APDM was in favor of religious parties and PMLN. With leaving of majority of these religious parties from this broad base alliance against the military dictatorship, there is decisive shift in favor of radical parties. LPP is the third party from the Left alliance to join this front. The Left Alliance will remain intact and continue to function to rally support for Left ideas.

A national conference on 18^th December is already announced by APDM to be held in Islamabad. All those boycotting the general elections including the trade unions, civil society organizations, advocates and students have been invited to this conference to chart out a plan of action. More action has been planned also in different parts of the country.