Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party

Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party کمیونسٹ مزدور کسان پارٹی
Founded	1995
Ideology	Communism, Marxism-Leninism
International affiliation	None
Official colours	Red
Website
http://cmkp.wordpress.com/
Politics of Pakistan Political parties Elections

The Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party (Urdu: کمیونسٹ مزدور کسان پارٹی) (Communist Workers and Peasants Party) is a political party in Pakistan formed in 1995 through the unification of the Communist Party of Pakistan (CPP) and the Mazdoor Kissan Party (MKP).

History

CMKP activist, Karachi, 30 April 2008

The break-up of the Soviet Union had an enormous impact on the left in Pakistan, as elsewhere in the world. A great number of factions abandoned Marxism and the Communist movement. At this difficult juncture in history the Communist Party of Pakistan and the Mazdoor Kissan Party came together to uphold the banner of Communism. In 1995 both parties engaged in criticism and self-criticism. Both parties came together and formed the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party.

In 1999 much of the former Communist Party of Pakistan broke away and reconstituted itself as a separate party.

After further organizational problems and ideological disagreements in 2003, a large section of the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party separated and reformed Mazdoor Kissan Party, whereas a group led by Sufi Abdul Khaliq Baloch and Taimur Rahman remained aligned with CMKP and its Marxist-Leninist program.

During the Lawyer's Movement against the military regime of Pervez Musharraf for the restoration of Iftikhar Muhammad Chaudhry as Chief Justice of Pakistan, the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party played a significant role in the demonstrations, mobilization of students and distribution of literature denouncing the ruling political party of the time, Pakistan Muslim League (Quaid).

In late 2009, CMKP faced another split when several long-time members, including Sufi Abdul Khaliq Baloch, separated from the party and joined the Workers Party of Pakistan, a broad-left political party. CMKP continues as a distinct Marxist-Leninist Party.

The Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party's prominent areas of influence include the working class district of Thokar Niaz Beg in the city of Lahore where its head office is located, and Hasthnagar in the northern part of Pakistan. CMKP is presently led by its General Secretary Taimur Rahman of Laal fame and operates several fronts, most prominently Laal Theater and Laal Films.

See also

• Mazdoor Kisan Party
• Politics of Pakistan

References