June 18, 2009

Message from Pakistani Women: Be Aware and Act

Dear Friends,
As you know things are alarming here in Pakistan. For getting absolute control on world resources, American Government has imposed war and internal conflicts in several parts of the world. Pakistan is one of them that is compelled to play front line state against alleged "War on terrorism." Pakistani ruling elites never ever bother about welfare of general public while they constantly defend personal privileges and profits, no matter they have army background or "elected" status. They work for single agenda "follow American instructions."

We women and workers are forefront victims of these policies and suffering from massive unemployment, poverty, war, hunger, forced immigration and terror attacks.

75% people live under poverty line. Due to load shedding [suspension of electrical service] and unlimited power cuts, 1750 factories and industrial units has shut down. In last six months just in one city Karachi, 250,000 daily and temporary workers has lost their livelihood. Law and order situation is worse than ever, in Karachi and Lahore just in a week 50 people were killed in target killings, just in a month 10 bomb blast has occurred in different cities which took hundreds of people's lives and made thousands badly injured and disabled. War in Sawat and other Northern areas pushed 2 million people to leave their areas. Violence against women are shamefully increasing, women are torched and killed by their own uncles, brothers and fathers. Social and legislative system does not give women any protection or prosecute their killers. Police got free hand to kill anyone in the name of terrorism.

We women workers strongly condemn all devastation imposed in Pakistan and all around the globe in the name of religion, race, color, recession and terrorism.

In this gloomy situation we believe workers and general people's consciousness and real understanding about social, cultural, economical and political facts will make difference. We must learn actual and hidden realities of national, regional and international policies and on different levels we must expose and resist against those who are behind all destructions, horror, clashes and oppression. Just our hard and united resistance against imperialist and fascist forces will stop and defeat them. We workers (women and men) must support each others and strengthen international solidarity for bringing peace and justice in our own respective countries along with globally.

Long live international workers unity!!

In solidarity,

Simy Zafar
General Secretary
Working Women Organization