Interview
An Interview with Tufail Abbas of the Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaaz
(This interview was given in 2006 and is being reproduced fro the Revolutionary Democracy)
Q. No. 1. What is your appraisal
of the current situation in
Pakistan? How do you view the
role of General Musharraf and
his policies, and what are his
objectives?
Ans: Pakistan was created in 1947,
but its current political situation is
a continuity of the past 58 year’s
policies in the sub-continent. No
basic change in policy took place
in all these years, and there is no
likelihood of any basic change in
near future. This country is not yet
alive to the characteristic of
genuine democracy or even
parliamentary democracy. Because
of the existing deep-rooted
feudalism, the tribal system, and
the exploiting classes which are
totally in the grip of the imperialist
forces, in these circumstances the
question of the emergence of even
a capitalist society (what to talk of
genuine democracy) does nowhere
exist.
In fact the country came into
being on account of the wishes of
the imperialistic forces, resultant to
the weakening of British Imperialism
after World War II.
After
1953,
American
imperialism has taken hold of the
country through various pacts and
military agreements. This had
become possible with collaboration
of the ruling classes.
Here the exploiting classes
have not been as strong as in India
so that the army which earlier
protected British imperialism now
continued to look after both the
exploiting classes and the
imperialist policies in the region.
The exploiting classes have
tried to stage a drama of
democracy which has never lasted
long so the exploiting classes call
Revolutionary Homage to Comrade Tufail Abbas
Comrade Tufail Abbas, one of the first leaders of Communist
Party of Pakistan passed away in Karachi on 8August 2019 due to
prolonged ill health. He was 92 years old. He is survived by his wife,
three daughters and one son,
Com. Abbas was born in a small town called Debar near Lucknow
in India in 1927. He migrated to Karachi after the Partition and was
among the first members of Communist party of Pakistan. He was the
founding member of erstwhile Oriental Airways Employees Union which
was founded in 1950. Com. Abbas was arrested and jailed several
times whenever the regimes unleashed repression on the peoples’
movements. He was jailed in 1960 after the arrest and killing of com.
Hassan Nazir by the regime of Ayub Khan.
Com.Abbas was the city secretary of communist Party in Karachi.
He left the party aftert the differences emerged in the party and inclined
towards Communist Party of China. After the death of Mao Tse tung,
he condemned both the regimes in Moscow and Beijing as revisionists.
He was the president of Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaaz (Pakistan Workers
Front)
The CPI(ML) expresses Its deepest condolences to the comrades
of Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaaz and family members and pays
revolutionary tributes to comrade Tufail Abbas.
6
in the army to their rescue which
each time has come to stay in
power for long, to save the
exploiting system.
Every group has stayed in
power only so long as they have
acted on the U.S. imperialist
policies. In case anyone attempted
to work against the U.S. imperialist
interests, they were made either to
quit or removed from the scene
with disgrace, or even killed or
managed to be killed in accidents.
President General Musharraf who
earlier said that he was forced in
by the former Prime Minister Nawaz
Shahrif, to take up the rule of the
country, has changed the provision
of the constitution to remain as the
Head of the State in uniform up to
year 2007. It seems, he plans to
stay on further till 2020. He has the
blessings of U.S. imperialism.
As for the policies of General
Musharraf, he is working to keep
feudal-capitalist society intact, in
the interest of U.S. imperialism, and
to continue to remain in power.
Q. No. 2. What is the nationality
question in Pakistan involving
Sindh, Punjab, Balochistan and
NWFP (North West Frontier
Province)?
Ans: The question of nationalities
exists in almost every country, but
in Pakistan it is quite different
because of its location in the
region. In fact, Pakistan had been
created on the two different
concepts of religion and nationa-
lities; intermingled together. The
country was divided on the basis
of ‘Two Nation Theory’ and religion
was equated with the concept of
nation.
After the creation of Pakistan
the different nationalities here were
the Pathans, Punjabis, Sindhis and
Balochis in West Pakistan and the
Class Struggle