Labour Party Pakistan to fight bye election in Faisalabad 

Labour Party Pakistan has decided to contest the bye election of Punjab Assembly constituency PP 63. Mian Abdul Qayum will be its candidate from the seat. He is chairman of Labour Qaumi Movement and a member of LPP Federal Committee.

The seat fell vacant after Mian Ajmal Asif MPA resigned. He had used fake religious certificate to show that he is a graduate during the February 2008 general election. At the time, graduation in any subject was a condition to contest elections. Elected on a Muslim League Q nomination, Mian Ajmal Asif changed his political affiliation and joined Muslim League Nawaz. Labour Party Pakistan did not contest the general elections from this seat in 2008.

Four candidates have emerged for this bye election. They include Rana Aftab Ahmad president Pakistan Peoples Party Punjab, Mian Ajmal Asif from PMLN, Mian Abdul Qayum LPP and Amjad Warraich, a former member of parliament from PML.

Mian Abdul Qayum is a labour leader of textile and power looms workers. He is the founding member of Labour Qaumi Movement, a labour organization that has led many struggles of textile workers in Faisalabad and surrounding area. LQM was formed in 2003 and Mian Abdul Qayum joined Labour Party Pakistan in 2005. He was elected recently as member of Federal Committee LPP in January 2010 during its fifth congress. Over 10,000 joined when LQM organized a mass workers rally on the eve of the congress at famous Dhobi Ghat ground of Faisalabad.

Mian Abdul Qayum, himself a textile worker, has been able to organize LQM in every area of Faisalabad because of its militant actions and solidarity expression with other movements. At present, he works full time for LQM. Workers of Faisalabad textile sector pay his expenditures. His partner Shamim Qayum is also an activist of LQM and spends time to organize the women workers.

Mian Abdul Qayum has been arrested several times during the last few years during the struggle of the textile workers. He spent 28 days along 24 other power looms workers in Jhang jail when he led a strike that lasted 20 days resulting in a complete victory of power looms workers. Since LQM was established over 10,000 power looms workers have got social security cards. There was none when the LQM was formed in 2003. They have been able to help workers in wage increase, blocked payments were released, new trade unions in several factories formed and in general a labour dignity is been restored.  

LQM is an independent labour organization supported by several left political currents and social organization and movements. Most of its leaders are formally members of Labour Party Pakistan. LQM formation is a departure from the traditional trade unions that have been unable to grow during the last decade. It is community based labour organization and not just a work place organization. LQM has combined activism at work place and at community level.  It has formalized many informal sector workers. It has revived the real workers tradition of picket lines at work place and at the homes of the bosses.  

LQM strategy to press the demands of the workers varies from case to case. It has held hunger strike camps, public rallies, seminars, workshops, Gherao (pickets) of factories, bosses homes, police stations and labour department, demonstrations and many other forms of protests. It has held very militant but peaceful struggle.

Mian Abdul Qayum decision to contest election against the parties of the rich is an important step in promotion of working class politics. It will pave the way for more independent actions of the working class not only in parliamentary field but also outside. After the election of Mai Jhoori in Baluchistan bye election last month, the contest of Mian Abdul Qayum will also be watched closely by many in Pakistan and internationally.

Labour Party Pakistan appeals to all its supporters, friends, comrades and members to come forward to help in the campaign of Mian Abdul Qayum. The election will take place on 15 May 2010. The election campaign has already started.

We need your finance support as well. We request all friend to contact us if they want to make a donation to the election campaign of Mian Abdul Qayum.