Pakistan - Capitalism and War

Capitalism & War in Pakistan Riaz Ahmed July 3, 2010

International Socialists (Pakistan) worldtowinpk.net 1

Hopefully what you will learn •

How capitalism & war spread in Pakistan

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Failed ruling class but united in war on people/working class

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War on Pakistan -- Imperialist role

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By dividing working class on war the ruling class spreads war and makes profits

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Resistance: Taliban, Divided left, working class struggles, peoples struggles

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Why workers of world need to unite to smash capitalism and war 2

Pakistan Khyber Pukhtoonkhawa (North

Kashmir PO

West) Tribal + Settled Military operation pop 11%

Punjab

Balochistan Military operation Poorest pop 6%

Sindh 3

Swat and Waziristan –Military Operation Sites

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Pakistan in World Economy

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Reforms?

• Divided ruling class united in brutality – Military/ economic war: • • • • •

rural poor and urban workers -- divided ‘we are fighting a difficult war’ Taliban, Blackwater, Sectarian Outfits Pro-Imperial Ethnic/Nationalists, Pro-war Islamicists, Liberals, Democrats

• Volatility – Layer after layer of oppressed respond – Problems • Military, war, suicide bombing • massive price hike, despair

• NO reform but revolution – What sort of revolution 6

And How Brutally This Integration is Maintained

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War for Displacement in Pakistan 8

War in Pakistan • 2001-2010 • War Against Terrorism = War on Af-Pak • Killings*

Military, 8785, 18%

• 2001-10 : 47,000 killed 2009: 12,815 killed Civilians, • $40bn loss 21672, • 4 million displaced 45%

Terrorists, 17742, 37%

– Response: suicide attacks, explosions and bloodshed.

•

*Pak Military figures

47,000 Deaths in Pakistan War since 2001

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War for Displacement •

Drone/Attacks by USA – – –

•

700 were killed in 2009 560 in 6 months of 2010 209 killed in 130 political violence

Pakistani War of Occupation 2002–

Waziristan 700 to 3000 Pakistani soldiers killed • •

South Waziristan peace deal 90,0000 of the 600,000 Warizistan migrants

• Swat military operation 2008– Killed 6,800 civilians – Displaced 3.44 million

– Still 2million displaced

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2004-2010 Military Operations KP

• Another occupying army Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies/Pak Army

– 821 Check-Posts, – 150,000 troops on Af-Pak – 50,000 troops in Swat/Tribal Area – 596 ‘operational attacks’ military

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History of Military Operations • Military Operations • 1971 Bangladesh (East Pak) Military Op • At least 30,000 Bangladeshis killed • At most 3 million Bangladeshis killed

• 1973 Balochistan Military Operation • 3000 soldiers and 5000 Baloch died • Thousands went missing

• 1984 Sindh Military Operation • 45,000 soldiers mobilized to crush democratic movement, killing over 1000

• 1992 Karachi Military Operation • Hundreds killed • 1770 died in factional violence 12

How did the war spread?

‘Peoples War on Terror’

• People bombed into supporting war – 2002: General Musharraf’s regime • War unacceptable – Splits Rulers • Benazir Bhutto:‘peoples war on terror’ – – unites ruling class! Even under Zardari!

– Divided Working Class => Eco Repression/Cuts

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War and US Defense Aid Military Expenditure $bn

• In 2009 Obama said: ‘Pakistani government is weak but Pakistani military can be trusted’

• Pakistan’s Military Expenditures Rising –

45% budget:Debt/Military

–

Debt 379% of 2010 Budget.

– $800 million for health education of 175 million people – $8000 million for Military

8

7.8

7

6.5

6 5 4 3 2

2.6 2

1.8

1 0 0.075 2002

2009

2010

US Military Aid $bn Pak Military Expenditure $bn Health/Education

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Class Society 2001-2010

GDP Trebled to $168 billion 50% Service Sector Wealth 47,000 dead

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Pakistan and Class Divide •

Pakistanis produce a lot of wealth.

– – – – – – –

•

Richest 20% own 50% of Wealth

2009 : GDP$166bn (3 times 2001) 27th largest by ppp Tax Collection $15bn Exports $18bn (Textile, Rice) Stock Exchange $25bn Foreign Investment $4.6bn Debt $50.1bn

But share a fraction of that wealth – 2005-09:

Richest 20% 50%

Poorest 20% 6%

• 13million more slipped in poverty

– 62 million people poor (36% of 175mn) Rest 44%

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Wealth Production Enormous in ‘war years’

GDP

Pakistan GDP Billion Dollars 160 140 120 100 80 60 40 20 0 1970

1975

1980

1985

1990

1995

2000

2005

Year

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2010

Work and Wealth • Employment – – – – –

Agriculture 44% Manufacturing 13% Sale/transport 20% Edu/Health 5% Indirect taxes • were 48% in 2001 • Now 60% in 2009

• Profits

Balochistan

Karachi

– Telecom Revenue $2.8bn, one investment $745 – Karachi Stock Market $1bn profit of one day = 1 yr budget of Balochistan/North West 18

Rocketing Prices • Electricity Price Hike – Electricity Shortage

• Promise – More liberalization more electricity

• Result – less electricity at higher prices

• Profit taking – in Thermal, OilExploration, Petroleum – all ‘deregulated

12 12

12 10

9.5 8.5

8 6 4

4

4

2 0

2004

2009

2010

Per Unit Price of Electricity Rs/unit

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Fightbacks Resistances 20

Baloch Resistance • 2004-Balochistan Military Operation – Operation for global investment – $700 million/year from 1 pipeline – Balochistan Budget < investment in one port – Gas for Pakistani capital— Australia/China…

– Displacement of tribes • Backward…influx of outsiders necessary

• Massive Resistance by nationalist Baloch – Over 4000 missing – Youth, liberation armies, • State-sponsored target killing non-Baloch.

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Pushtoon Resistance – History • Against British Colonialism – Faqir Api – Mullah Mastan (Mad Mullah) – Populzai – Bacha Khan • All related/respected by Big Madressas!

• Movment against colonialism rooted in rural/religion • Not to impose order from above 22

Rising Commercial Class $7 bn Foreign Remittance $3bn to Rural North West

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Pushtoon/Islamicists Resistance Resistance/Injustices lead to Resistance

• • • • • •

Injustice rampant Anger simmers Property: Source/Dispute Millions of landless 60% disputes about land Commercial bourgeoise rising • War Zone: Pushtoon Nationalist Awami National Party – Operation: Upper class Khans/Maliks revenge on rural poor 24

Injustices lead to Resistance • Weak old structure – unable to put up the Khan, Maliks, Judicial system and police system

• Anger amongst the petty-bourg – supported by landless rural poor – Democratic Islamicists in power 2004 • Did not work • implemented World Bank projects with green labels • Basic problems of unemployment and land-disputes

– Since 2008 • military is there to uphold the old falling class structure.

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War for Liberty?

• Human Rights Watch – “mounting evidence” of more than 200 summary executions in Swat..of suspected Taliban sympathisers.” does not condemn operations!

– Families of ordinary/Taliban held hostage – Anti Terror Laws: Court accepts statements made in police/custody extended to Swat/FATA 26

Left/Lib: Resistance=Taliban=> support Imperialist War – Taliban = barbarians

– “The principle that military operations against the terrorists should be carried out in a manner…was not always observed.”

– Absent: the insight • “the temptation:militarize, outsource a struggle that can only be waged politically, and by the Left. “ • NO Anti War Movement • Tariq Ali/Arundhati Roy – invited by supporters of military operation 27

Divide B/w Pro and Anti-War • So there is War – and also the Resistance – Mainly led by Taliban

• Almost absent Left opposition to war?

• Cities – traditional anti-war pro-left is pro-war – few condemn military action • but associate condemnation of Taliban as equally important

• Result …no consistent resistance to war.

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Anti-Imperialism Mixed with AntiMullahism • Logic=Conspiracy: ISI created • Youth – has only the Taliban to go for

• Left’s dilemma:imperialist war

– problem of addressing militant Islam and Imperialism – Fails to address generally – Working class divided…Strong Capitalists 29

Workers Eat Charity to Pay Bills • Pro-capital exploitation – massive destitution.

• Karachi Saylani Welfare Trust – designed for prisoners/sick to eat from charity – Serves 50,000 Karachites daily

• Helps pay rent, electricity bills, school fees – “If a person from any poor & low income family eats food from our center and saves his money to spend it on his children's education, house rent, electricity & gas bills then believe us we have succeeded in saving this society.”

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Result of Weak Anti-War Movement: Destabilization 31

Result of Weak Anti-War Movement: Destabilization • War lords Everywhere • Paksitani Army – Taliban – Anti-Taliban

• ‘Peace Committees’ – – – – –

Pukhtoon Peace Committee Dacoit Peace Committee MQM Pakistan Peace Coalition US sponsored ‘Peace Movement’, • ‘Peace Jirga’ • ‘Peace Lashkar’ 32

Destabilization • Blackwater sponsored • US sponsored – ethnic, national, sectarian war-lords – explosions, extortion, kidnapping, ransom.

– Dictator Gen Musharraf…Benazir Bhutto/Zardari

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Working Class Movements • Many Many Struggles • Tens Thousands – – – –

temporary workers Demand permanent status Electricity crisis protests Fare rise protests

• Success – Temporary made permanent in steel, electricity, gas industry… govt controlled – Public sector pay raise by 50%

• More Attacks – New Taxes to impose an inflation of 25% 34

Working Class Movements • Usual – succeed if persistent – More workers ready to prolong struggles – …past short struggles.

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Popular Movements • Lawyers movement – Judiciary restored – Gen Musharraf resigned

• Power loom workers – struggle for better wages and electricity

• Teachers movement – in Punjab and Sindh

• Hotel workers – Occupation – Solidarity 36

Future • • • • • • • • •

Afghanistan surge failed US defeated now wants a compromise Pakistani state sees an on-coming rise of rightwing Myth exposed about secular turn of Pakistani state Weak ruling class Division b/w national and pro-imperial bourg Petty bourg movements taking working class along Fight-backs possible and happening Anti-imperialism – , anti-war, anti-national repression movements to be build

• Working class central 37

Unite/Organise to Fight World Capitalism • 40 countries occupy Afghanistan • Despite difference Pak/US other militaries unite to smash common enemy –resistance • Workers in Pakistan to lead struggles against war and exploitation – overcome division • Workers of Pakistan, Britain others unite to fight united world capitalism • Organise 38 • Join SWP in Britain to organise against capitalism and

What you probably have learned •

How capitalism & war spread in Pakistan

•

Failed ruling class but united in war on people/working class

•

War on Pakistan -- Imperialist role

•

By dividing working class on war the ruling class spreads war and makes profits

•

Resistance: Taliban, Divided left, working class struggles, peoples struggles

•

Why workers of world need to unite to smash capitalism and war

39