Press release

Karachi: On the eve of International Working Women’s Day, the Awami Workers Party salutes the courageous and revolutionary struggle of Pakistani working women and others who defy the state and societal repressions, violence, abuses and social injustices and fighting for an egalitarian, democratic and progressive society.

The militarization of society, economy and democratic institutions as well as rising intolerance being promoted by the hybrid regime coupled with global pandemic have brought the country to the brink where democratic values and civility are at stake.

While expressing solidarity with the Aurat Azadi March, the AWP is concerned that the spaces for democratic discourses and dissent are shrinking. More than seven decades since the inception of the state, marginalised and weaker segments of Pakistani society – women, trans people, peasants, labourers — continue to suffer discrimination and violence; ethnic and religious minorities are being targeted and the lower middle class pushed to the margins.

In the name of development, working-class and ethnic and religious minorities are displaced exacerbating the devastating impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, climate change and environmental degradation.
The unrelenting push by extremist and undemocratic forces continues to deprive working-class and marginalised segments particularly women of their basic rights including access to education, health, livelihood, mobility in public spaces with dignity.

This situation has exacerbated the rising number of violence, brutality and savagery against women, children, transpeople and minorities who are killed, raped, bartered and deprived of their human dignity with impunity.
It is in this context that the AWP leadership calls upon all the progressive and democratic forces to come out in great numbers to support Aurat Azadi marchers who have become a symbol of resistance to all forms of oppression and their unwavering resolve in a gender-just democratic order guaranteeing the fundamental human rights for all, in particular to the marginalized segments.

The WDF’s inspiring struggle to reclaim their public spaces and to protect women’s rights and human rights for all has strengthened and boosted the overall struggle of the progressive and democratic forces against the hybrid regime, neoliberal agenda.

The AWP reiterates its resolve to unite all progressive forces and struggle for the reversal of all IMF-prescribed anti-people and anti-working class policies and safeguard the rights of all.

We also resolve to continue our endeavours to reclaim the state and society from all anti-democratic forces and establish a safe, tolerant, humane and just society where every citizen could enjoy social justice, equality and live with dignity.