The defiant revolutionary
February 23, 2008
Karachi
Born on October 14, 1946, in Shahjahanpur a town in UP, India, Azhar Jamil is a well-known political activist of Pakistan with Marxist leanings.
Jamil is articulate and culturally in tune with the realities of Pakistan. He says that he got his political moorings from participating in the anti-Vietnam war movement in the late 1960s. At the time, he was studying at the City University in London. Ironically, this Marxist in the making did his Masters in Business Administration from this university in 1968.
There are more contradictions here. His father was a military man, and a well known one at that. The late Commodore Khalid Jamil was the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in 1953. But to his credit, after his retirement in 1954 Commodore Jamil took part in politics and got elected to the national assembly both in 1962 and in 1965 on the platform of the Pakistan Muslim League (Convention). This was led by General Ayub Khan. Commodore Jamil was also an innovative industrialist and established Pakistan’s first plastic factory.
Unlike his father, however, Azhar was neither industrialist nor military man. Instead, he turned into a committed Marxist and has been associated with the well known progressive leader Mairaj Mohammad Khan after he returned to Pakistan in 1969. “That was the period of anti-Vietnam war rallies across the world, especially in the industrialised world. Then there was the Cultural Revolution in People’s Republic of China while the entire Europe witnessed student and trade union movements. I was amongst the youth who would participate in day-long processions against Vietnam War and also went to France,” recalls Jamil, with a wry smile.
In the meantime according to Azhar, “Pakistan was also witnessing the democratic upsurge in 1968-69 that enabled me to mix with activists of the left-wing National Students Federation, especially with former student leader and one of the founder members of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Mairaj Mohammad Khan.”
Since then, he has been associated with Mairaj Khan and his party, the Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi, even though the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, a family friend, urged him on several occasions to join her party.
Azhar was also inspired by the Baloch nationalist movement, especially its charismatic leader, Khair Bux Marri. Azhar Jamil firmly believes that the smaller provinces should be accorded maximum autonomy since it strengthens the federation.
Azhar Jamil was implicated in the infamous Hyderabad Conspiracy case during the Bhutto era in May 1976 along with stalwarts such as Khan Abdul Wali Khan and Ghous Bux Bizenjo and spent 19 months in jail.
“I believe that alienating secular and nationalist elements was the biggest mistake made by Bhutto as it led to the strengthening of right-wing elements, which ultimately enabled military dictator General Ziaul Haq to stage a coup in July 1977,” Azhar commented.
During the Zia era (1977-1988) when terror was let loose on Pakistani political activists, Azhar actively participated in the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in 1983 and courted arrest in September that year. He also actively participated in the election boycott movement in 1985. “I firmly believe that Karachi has played a historic role in Pakistan’s democratic struggle. This city provided a united front for working classes, students, lawyers and other professionals, even industrialists. It was like the central nervous system of Pakistan that sent shock waves to its other parts,” says Azhar. In sharp contrast, the policies pursued by General Zia inculcated sectarianism, parochialism and ethnicity, he added.
“In 1970, people voted for democratic and secular forces. In former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) Awami League led by (late) Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman won the elections with the slogan of provincial autonomy. In Sindh and Punjab, the PPP emerged victorious on the basis of the promise that it will bring about social change and in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan, the National Awami Party, a secular organisation, got the majority seats. In a nutshell, the results were people-oriented” he elaborated.
“The army had to retreat after Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation in December 1971 and power was transferred to Bhutto. However, it was most unfortunate that the latter initiated a military operation in Balochistan after sacking the National Awami Party (NAP) government led by Sardar Ataullah Mengal. This also 0prompted the NAP-JUI coalition in the NWFP to tender its resignation,” recalls Jamil. As a result of the erroneous decisions made by Bhutto, the PPP government was overthrown by military dictator General Zia that paved the way for Jihadi movement and drugs and arms culture in Pakistan, he adds. “These days, everybody is involved in a rat race and the social fabric of the society has been destroyed,” Azhar lamented.
Furthermore, Azhar Jamil also visited Afghanistan in 1988 and met the Afghan leader Najeebullah and was inspired by him. “I went there as a part of five-member Pakistan team including Mairaj Mohammad Khan and was impressed by Najeebullah. He was a simple, modest man. He told us he accepted the Durand Line and was keen that Pakistan’s private sector makes investment in Afghanistan” Jamil said.
Azhar Jamil said that he firmly believed that the economic upturn in Pakistan “is only possible if feudalism is abolished as it will enable the rural folk to have purchasing power and that in turn will boost industrialisation.”
While talking about the current political scenario in the country, Azhar Jamil said, “The assassination of the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto is a great loss for Pakistan’s democratic movement.” “What is urgently needed today is a militant but peaceful political party to challenge the status quo,” he stated, adding “Only a crash education programme is the answer to extremism.”
Born on October 14, 1946, in Shahjahanpur a town in UP, India, Azhar Jamil is a well-known political activist of Pakistan with Marxist leanings.
Jamil is articulate and culturally in tune with the realities of Pakistan. He says that he got his political moorings from participating in the anti-Vietnam war movement in the late 1960s. At the time, he was studying at the City University in London. Ironically, this Marxist in the making did his Masters in Business Administration from this university in 1968.
There are more contradictions here. His father was a military man, and a well known one at that. The late Commodore Khalid Jamil was the Vice Chief of the Naval Staff in 1953. But to his credit, after his retirement in 1954 Commodore Jamil took part in politics and got elected to the national assembly both in 1962 and in 1965 on the platform of the Pakistan Muslim League (Convention). This was led by General Ayub Khan. Commodore Jamil was also an innovative industrialist and established Pakistan’s first plastic factory.
Unlike his father, however, Azhar was neither industrialist nor military man. Instead, he turned into a committed Marxist and has been associated with the well known progressive leader Mairaj Mohammad Khan after he returned to Pakistan in 1969. “That was the period of anti-Vietnam war rallies across the world, especially in the industrialised world. Then there was the Cultural Revolution in People’s Republic of China while the entire Europe witnessed student and trade union movements. I was amongst the youth who would participate in day-long processions against Vietnam War and also went to France,” recalls Jamil, with a wry smile.
In the meantime according to Azhar, “Pakistan was also witnessing the democratic upsurge in 1968-69 that enabled me to mix with activists of the left-wing National Students Federation, especially with former student leader and one of the founder members of the Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), Mairaj Mohammad Khan.”
Since then, he has been associated with Mairaj Khan and his party, the Qaumi Mahaz-e-Azadi, even though the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto, a family friend, urged him on several occasions to join her party.
Azhar was also inspired by the Baloch nationalist movement, especially its charismatic leader, Khair Bux Marri. Azhar Jamil firmly believes that the smaller provinces should be accorded maximum autonomy since it strengthens the federation.
Azhar Jamil was implicated in the infamous Hyderabad Conspiracy case during the Bhutto era in May 1976 along with stalwarts such as Khan Abdul Wali Khan and Ghous Bux Bizenjo and spent 19 months in jail.
“I believe that alienating secular and nationalist elements was the biggest mistake made by Bhutto as it led to the strengthening of right-wing elements, which ultimately enabled military dictator General Ziaul Haq to stage a coup in July 1977,” Azhar commented.
During the Zia era (1977-1988) when terror was let loose on Pakistani political activists, Azhar actively participated in the Movement for Restoration of Democracy (MRD) in 1983 and courted arrest in September that year. He also actively participated in the election boycott movement in 1985. “I firmly believe that Karachi has played a historic role in Pakistan’s democratic struggle. This city provided a united front for working classes, students, lawyers and other professionals, even industrialists. It was like the central nervous system of Pakistan that sent shock waves to its other parts,” says Azhar. In sharp contrast, the policies pursued by General Zia inculcated sectarianism, parochialism and ethnicity, he added.
“In 1970, people voted for democratic and secular forces. In former East Pakistan (now Bangladesh) Awami League led by (late) Sheikh Mujib-ur-Rehman won the elections with the slogan of provincial autonomy. In Sindh and Punjab, the PPP emerged victorious on the basis of the promise that it will bring about social change and in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) and Balochistan, the National Awami Party, a secular organisation, got the majority seats. In a nutshell, the results were people-oriented” he elaborated.
“The army had to retreat after Bangladesh emerged as an independent nation in December 1971 and power was transferred to Bhutto. However, it was most unfortunate that the latter initiated a military operation in Balochistan after sacking the National Awami Party (NAP) government led by Sardar Ataullah Mengal. This also 0prompted the NAP-JUI coalition in the NWFP to tender its resignation,” recalls Jamil. As a result of the erroneous decisions made by Bhutto, the PPP government was overthrown by military dictator General Zia that paved the way for Jihadi movement and drugs and arms culture in Pakistan, he adds. “These days, everybody is involved in a rat race and the social fabric of the society has been destroyed,” Azhar lamented.
Furthermore, Azhar Jamil also visited Afghanistan in 1988 and met the Afghan leader Najeebullah and was inspired by him. “I went there as a part of five-member Pakistan team including Mairaj Mohammad Khan and was impressed by Najeebullah. He was a simple, modest man. He told us he accepted the Durand Line and was keen that Pakistan’s private sector makes investment in Afghanistan” Jamil said.
Azhar Jamil said that he firmly believed that the economic upturn in Pakistan “is only possible if feudalism is abolished as it will enable the rural folk to have purchasing power and that in turn will boost industrialisation.”
While talking about the current political scenario in the country, Azhar Jamil said, “The assassination of the PPP chairperson Benazir Bhutto is a great loss for Pakistan’s democratic movement.” “What is urgently needed today is a militant but peaceful political party to challenge the status quo,” he stated, adding “Only a crash education programme is the answer to extremism.”
