Farooq Tariq is the secretary general of the 3000-member Labour Party Pakistan (LPP). The following is an abridged version of an interview with Tariq conducted by Ron Jacobs. Tariq is currently operating underground, being hunted by the regime. THe full version of this interview was posted on the Counterpunch.org website on November 11.
What is the make-up of the protesters in Pakistan right now? The US newspapers describe the majority of the protesters as being lawyers and NGO activists. Is this so? What are the demands of the protests?
Initially, it was advocates [lawyers], leftists and human rights activists. But the situation has changed in the last three days as Pakistan People's Party leader Benazir Bhutto has declared her opposition to General Pervez Musharraf. Yesterday, PPP members fought pitched battles with police in Rawalpindi. The PPP claims that 5000 of its members were arrested across Pakistan. Also, the government has arrested members of the Justice Party of former cricket-star Imran Khan, exiled Muslim League leaders and former prime minister Nawaz Sharif. However, Islamist parties are not either joining the movement nor being targeted by the regime. Their opposition to the regime remains restricted to press statements.
What role does Benazir Bhutto play in Pakistani politics? Does the Labour Party consider her role a positive one? Do you support her at all? What do you make of her detention?
The good news in the last three days was the changing attitude of Bhutto towards the present military regime. While in exile, she made a deal to share power with the military regime. This deal was brokered by the US. Her return on October 18 was also a US-backed move. On her return there was a suicide attack on her rally leaving over 200 dead. There was also a massive negative campaign by the chief minister of Punjab against her.
Then Musharraf imposed the state of emergency on November 3, without her consent apparently. Most of the advocates arrested after this were from her party.
In the first three days of the emergency, PPP activists were not arrested but it all changed with Bhutto coming out openly against the military regime.
Her changing attitude was welcomed by the LPP. On the LPP's behalf, I announced in the media that the LPP would join the "long march" planned for November 13 by the PPP from Lahore to Islamabad, even though we were very critical of the polices Bhutto pursued in last few months — her power-sharing formula with the Musharraf regime.
I understand the situation constantly changes, but do you believe the parliamentary elections will be held in February 2008? If they are, do you think they will be free and fair? Why or why not?
In view of the unfolding movement, and international pressure, yes we can hope for that. But fair and free elections are out of question. The democracy movement will have to fight a long war before we are able to have a democracy strong enough that ensures a free election.
What, in your opinion, is the cause of the unrest in Pakistan? How much of a role do religious extremists play? How much of a role does the army play? How is this martial law similar to previous episodes of martial law in Pakistani history?
In the first place, it is the impoverishment of the masses under the Musharraf regime. The struggle for bread and butter has become even harder. Utility bills, price hikes and joblessness are the biggest issues. This is the root cause of the unrest.
Also, the military has become a military-industrial complex that is acting like a mafia. There is resentment against that.
Then you have US presence in the region leading to instability in Pakistan. Musharraf's pro-US policies are universally unpopular.
Musharraf's military rule is unlike the 1978-85 military regime of General Zia-ul-Haq. Musharraf claims the mantle of enlightenment and moderation. Zia "Islamised" Pakistan. But both these dictatorships, like earlier military regimes, have been pro-US.
Every time the military takes over, it increases its industrial base, thus leading to more corruption.
What do you think will be the result of the emergency rule? How long do you think it will be in place?
General Musharraf would not have thought of the political scenario that has emerged since the imposition of emergency rule on November 3.
After the advocates, now students are emerging as a big part of the political opposition to the military regime. Demonstrations took place on November 7 in certain public and private universities in the main cities of Pakistan. "Student power rises from slumber" was the headline of November 8 News International, the country's largest English-language daily.
The organisations of the media bosses and their employees are also joining the mass movement after unprecedented repression against the electronic and print media by the regime.
It was a black day on November 5 for the stock exchanges in Pakistan. The stock exchange crashed, resulting in a net loss equivalent to US$4 billion in one day, unprecedented in the last 17 years.
Musharraf's imperialist backers like US, Britain and the European Union have been forced to condemn emergency rule, at least in word, for the first time since 9/11. Any gross violation of human rights in Pakistan since 9/11 was always treated an internal Pakistani matter by US imperialism. Even Australian imperialism is condemning the sorry state of affairs of Pakistan and terming Musharraf "a dictator" for the first time, a fact Pakistani people have known for eight years.
The LPP perspective is that such an isolated regime cannot last long.
Is there any other information or thoughts you wish to provide our readers?
The opposition to the military regime can be strengthened by the active solidarity of our friends and comrades outside Pakistan. Pickets of the Pakistani embassies all over the world will be one the most effective ways of opposition. It is time to show international solidarity.