Awami Tahreek

Awami Tahreek
عوامي تحريڪ
PresidentWasand Thari[1] (AT Faction)
Ayaz Latif Palijo[2] (QAT Faction)
General SecretaryNoor Ahmed Katiyar[3] (AT Faction)
FounderRasool Bux Palijo
Founded5 March 1970 (1970-03-05)
Preceded bySindhi Awami Tahreek
HeadquartersQasimabad, Hyderabad, Sindh, Pakistan[4]
IdeologyCommunism
Marxism–Leninism–Maoism
Progressivism
Secularism
Socialism
Sindhi nationalism
Left-wing nationalism
Left-wing populism
Political positionLeft-wing to far-left
ReligionSecular
National Affiliation of QATGDA
Colors   Red and Black
FactionsAwami Tehreek (AT)
Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT)
Election symbol
Whistle (QAT Faction)[5][6]
Gulel (AT Faction)[5]
Party flag

Awami Tahreek or Qaumi Awami Tehreek, formerly Sindhi Awami Tahreek (English: Sindhi People's Movement), is a Marxist–Leninist–Maoist political party based in the Pakistani province of Sindh, and headquartered in Hyderabad.

Formation

Awami Tahreek was formed on 5 March 1970, by the leading writers, activists, and intellectuals in Hyderabad, Sindh. At the first party meeting, the leading theoretician Rasool Bux Palijo was elected as its first general secretary.[7] It has gradually evolved into a national party and supported the anti-feudal elements against the PPP-P and PML-N in Sindh and Western Punjab; Awami Tahreek and PTI are the two main parties supporting anti-feudal-lordism[clarification needed] and social democratic ideals in the country.[citation needed]

History

Awami Tahreek has supported movements including:

  • Neelam Band Karyo Movement
  • Sindhi Voter Lists Movement
  • MRD
  • Journalist Movement
  • Anti-Urban Terrorism Movement and
  • Anti-Kalabagh Dam and Thal Canal Movement

Recently, Awami Tahreek has started to create local/regional offices in other provinces, and has broadened its political philosophy from a provincial to a national level.

Split into AT and QAT

In 2013, Awami Tehreek was later renamed as Qaumi Awami Tehreek (QAT) and Rasul Bux Palijo's son Ayaz Latif Palijo became its central leader but in 2016, due to some internal rifts between Rasul Bux Palijo and Ayaz Latif Palijo, Rasul Bux Palijo announced to revive Awami Tehreek again as a separate faction distancing from his son led QAT.[8][9][2]

Ideology

Awami Tahreek is a political party devoted to non-violence in its democratic struggle to attain freedom of the people through the scientific and revolutionary tenets of Marxism–Leninism–Maoism. It is committed to people's democracy, economic and social justice, and establishment of a welfare state in a country where people can have equity, political freedom, economic opportunity, and genuine provincial autonomy.

Its platform is that a comprehensive overhauling of society is required in order to deliver the benefits of a welfare state to the masses. Awami Tahreek stands for equal rights for all citizens without distinction of sex, class, color, language, faith, or creed.

Awami Tahreek is strict in opposing capitalism, imperialism, army rule, dictatorships, terrorism, corruption, racism, gender discrimination, and religious bigotry. Awami Tahreek promises to replace feudalism with principles of socialism to protect and advance the interests of peasantry.

Awami Tahreek continues to champion the cause of the unity of Pakistan in general and Sindh in particular, the caste system, communities, minorities, and ethnic groups. Since the foundation of the party, it has come forward as a builder of Muslim-Hindu-Christian unity.

Political movements

Awami Tahreek opposed the division of Sindh, holding a "Mohabbat Sindh Rally" (love and sanctity of Sindh Dharti) against the division.[10]

See also

References

  1. ^ "STP, AT express strong reservations over digital census plan". Dawn (newspaper). 1 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  2. ^ a b "Ayaz Palijo says he is being punished for talking against 'anti-Sindh projects'". The News International (newspaper). 6 October 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  3. ^ "Rally calls for cancelling retrenchment of PSM workers". www.thenews.com.pk. 4 January 2021. Archived from the original on 4 January 2021. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  4. ^ "List of Enlisted Political Parties" (PDF). www.ecp.gov.pk. Election Commission of Pakistan. 27 February 2023. Archived from the original (PDF) on 8 March 2023. Retrieved 8 March 2023.
  5. ^ a b "List of Symbols Alloted [sic] of Political Party" (PDF). ecp.gov.pk. Election Commission of Pakistan. Retrieved 23 April 2022.
  6. ^ "Qomi Awami Tehreek - QAT (Profile)". UrduPoint. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  7. ^ "The History of Peoples Movement in Sindh". archive.org.
  8. ^ "Founder chief revives Awami Tehreek, parts ways with his son's QAT". Dawn (newspaper). 3 October 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  9. ^ "Rasool Bux Palijo parts ways with son-led party". The Express Tribune (newspaper). 2 October 2016. Retrieved 6 September 2021.
  10. ^ Baloch, Saher (23 May 2012). "Bullets rain on rally against division of Sindh". The News International. Archived from the original on 29 June 2012.