- The Awami Workers Party warns of ecological, social and political crises if militarisation of politics, society and economy continues.
- Opposes corporate farming, privatisation, the pillage of mineral, water and other resources of peripheries and marginalised enthno-nationals.
- The party expresses solidarity with mass movements in Balochistan, Pakhtunkhwa, G-B, AJK, and Sindh
Islamabad: The Awami Workers Party (AWP) has announced a National Day of Action on March 22, 2025, to protest the government’s plan to construct six canals on the Indus River, which is being promoted under the guise of corporate farming.
“The party warns that the project could trigger an ecological disaster affecting regions from Gilgit-Baltistan to Sindh, while further marginalising indigenous communities and working-class populations.”
In a statement issued after its two-day federal committee meeting in Islamabad on March 15-16, the AWP criticised the canal project as part of a broader pattern of exploitative development policies.
“The Special Investment Facilitation Council (SIFC), a constitutionally unaccountable body, is spearheading initiatives that prioritise corporate profits over democratic norms and environmental sustainability. Such projects, including the Diamer-Bhasha Dam, threaten to exacerbate Pakistan’s ecological and economic crises, pushing the country toward “ecocide” and deepening its reliance on imperialist powers like the IMF,” the statement read.
Ecological and economic concerns
The party is of the view that Indus River is a vital lifeline for Pakistan’s diverse ethnic communities, providing water for agriculture, livelihoods, and ecosystems. The party warns that the canal project, along with other large-scale infrastructure initiatives, risks colonising the river and displacing local populations. The party opposes the government’s austerity measures, which are disproportionately burdening working-class while enabling the exploitation of natural resources by unaccountable investors.
“The socio-economic challenges facing Pakistan, including rising inflation, unemployment, and the privatisation of education and health are forcing many young people to risk their lives migrating abroad, while those who remain face shrinking opportunities and oppressive conditions.
“The AWP calls for an immediate overhaul of state policies in Balochistan and Pakhtunkhwa, where military operations and state repression have fuelled unrest and insurgency. The party condemns enforced disappearances, target killings, and the militarisation of these regions. Such measures only deepen resentment and pushing young educated people towards armed resistance movements.
“The party expresses deep concern at the resurgence of religious militancy in Pakhtunkhwa, which is a direct consequence of the state’s misguided support for the Afghan Taliban and other militant groups. Likewise the ongoing militarisation of Balochistan is alienating the local population and driving more young people toward insurgency.
Solidarity with democratic movements
“The AWP also expresses solidarity with various grassroots movements across Pakistan, including the Sindh Rawadari March, Aurat Azadi March, the Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), the Awami Action Committees in Gilgit-Baltistan, and Azad Kashmir, Ulasi Pasoon, and the Baloch Yakjehti Committee (BYC).
“The AWP leadership is of the view that establishment is criminalising peaceful political mobilisation and stoking ethnic and religious divisions to maintain control over politics, economy, and culture.
“The party also condemns the imprisonment of former MNA Ali Wazir, a vocal advocate for peace and democracy, and demands his immediate release. Moreover, the AWP calls for an end to the prolonged siege of Parachinar, where residents have been facing severe shortages of food, fuel, and medical supplies for the past five months, leading to widespread suffering and loss of life.”
The AWP supports the demand for self-rule and internal autonomy for Gilgit-Baltistan, a constituent assembly; an end to the eight decades colonial governance system in the disputed region and harassment of political activists.
“The mainstream political parties are complicit in perpetuating an establishment-centric order that prioritises militarisation and resource exploitation over the needs of the people. These parties have failed to address the growing economic hardships faced by the majority of Pakistan’s population, particularly its youth. The party is also critical of the continued ban on student unions, which were disbanded during the General Zia dictatorship, and the privatisation of higher education, which has made it inaccessible to many.”
Left unity
The AWP calls on all progressive and democratic forces to unite against the militarisation of state and society and to build a genuinely democratic alternative that eliminates all forms of oppression and exploitation. The party pledges to play a leading role in this struggle. There is a need for a transformative politics that prioritises the interests of Pakistan’s working-class and marginalised communities.