Awami Workers Party

{{More citations needed|date=October 2018}} {{Infobox political party | name = Awami Workers' Party | native_name = عوامی ورکرز پارٹی | native_name_lang = ur | abbreviation = AWP | logo = Awami Workers Party logo.png | logo_size = 100px | colorcode = #DA251C | leader = | president = Akhtar Hussain<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.brecorder.com/news/40229729/ndm-holds-meeting-to-remember-latif-afridi|title=NDM holds meeting to remember Latif Afridi|date=6 March 2023|access-date=8 March 2023|work=Business Recorder (newspaper)}}</ref> | general_secretary = Farhat Abbas | ideology = {{Nowrap|Democratic socialism<br>Progressivism}} | headquarters = Karachi | international = | website = {{URL|http://www.awppakistan.org}} | country = Pakistan | leader1_title = Senior Vice President | leader1_name = Javed Akhtar | leader2_title = Deputy General Secretary | leader2_name = Aasim Sajjad Akhtar | leader3_title = Education Secretary | leader3_name = Prof. Shah Jahan | leader4_title = Finance Secretary | leader4_name = Zahid Pervaiz | leader5_title = Information Secretary | leader5_name = Asar Imam | slogan = | founded = {{start date and age|2012|11|11}} | merger = Labour Party Pakistan<br />Workers Party Pakistan<br />Awami Party Pakistan<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=The Newspaper's Staff |title=AWP launches struggle for 'socialists Pakistan' |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/763349 |work=DAWN.COM |date=12 November 2012 |language=en}}</ref> | newspaper = | youth_wing = | membership_year = | membership = | position = Left-wing | national = Left Democratic Front | affiliation1_title = | affiliation1 = | colors = {{color box|white}}{{color box|red}} Red, White | seats1_title = Senate | seats1 = {{Composition bar|0|96|hex=#DA251C}} | seats2_title = National Assembly | seats2 = {{Composition bar|0|336|hex=#DA251C}} | symbol = 50px | flag = border|150px | footnotes = }}

The '''Awami Workers Party''' ({{langx|ur|عوامی ورکرز پارٹی}}) is a left-wing socialist political party<ref>{{cite journal |last1=Siddiqui |first1=Hafsah |title=Conceptualising overlapping politics: Cross-class political relationships in urban Pakistan |journal=Environment and Planning C: Politics and Space |date=20 May 2024 |doi=10.1177/23996544241255793 |url=https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/10.1177/23996544241255793 |language=en |issn=2399-6544|doi-access=free }}</ref><ref name="Global freedom">{{cite web |title=Awami Workers Party v. Pakistan Telecommunication Authority |url=https://globalfreedomofexpression.columbia.edu/cases/awami-workers-party-v-pakistan-telecommunication-authority/ |website=Global Freedom of Expression |language=en}}</ref> in Pakistan.<ref>{{cite web |title=Pakistan elections 2018: The major political parties |url=https://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/interactive/2018/07/pakistan-elections-2018-major-political-parties-180711093002581.html |website=www.aljazeera.com}}</ref> The party seeks to unify the struggles of workers, peasants, students, women and ethnic and religious minorities in Pakistan under the banner of a democratic and socialist political system. Abid Hassan Minto was elected its first President at foundation congress held in Lahore on 11 November 2012, and first congress held in Islamabad on 27–28 September 2014. Fanoof Gujar was elected its president at 2nd congress held in Karachi on 15–16 October 2016. After the death of the AWP's founding leader Fanoos Gujjar in 2018, Senior Vice President Yousuf Mustikhan became its president. He was elected President of the Awami Workers Party at its 3rd Congress held in Lahore on 12–13 March 2023, but after the death of Yousuf Mustikhan in September 2022, Akhtar Hussain was elected as president at 4th congress held in Lahore on 26–27 April 2025 alongside the Pakistan Muslim League (Nawaz) (PML–N), the Pakistan People's Party (PPP), Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI).

== History ==

=== Foundation === The party was formed on November 11, 2012,<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=The Newspaper's Staff |title=Conference to launch left-wing party today |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/763214/conference-to-launch-left-wing-party-today |work=DAWN.COM |date=11 November 2012 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Rehman |first1=I. A. |title=The left reborn? |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/764144/the-left-reborn |work=DAWN.COM |date=15 November 2012 |language=en}}</ref> as a merger of Labour Party Pakistan, Workers Party Pakistan and Awami Party Pakistan.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=A. |title=Three leftist parties to merge |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/761037/three-leftist-parties-to-merge-2 |work=DAWN.COM |date=2 November 2012 |language=en}}</ref> While not the first attempt to unify the Left, the AWP generated excitement among progressives due to its promise of building upon the left's best traditions and making adaptations necessary for a viable project.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/464255/awami-workers-party-interim-leaders-elected-for-new-left-party/|title=Awami Workers Party: Interim leaders elected for new party|publisher=The Express Tribune Pakistan|access-date=19 September 2019}}</ref>

=== Federal Congress === The party held its First Federal Congress on September 27–28, 2014 in Islamabad and elected its national leadership following sub-national party elections around the country. Abid Hassan Minto was elected as president,<ref>{{cite web |title=Leftward Ho! |url=https://newslinemagazine.com/leftward-ho/ |website=Newsline |language=en |date=16 July 2018}}</ref> Fanoos Gujjar as chairman and Farooq Tariq as general secretary.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Zaidi |first1=Hassan Belal |title='Red revolution' comes to Islamabad |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1134994 |work=DAWN.COM |date=29 September 2014 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Left way: AWP vows to struggle for 'real' change, egalitarian society |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/768562/the-left-way-awp-vows-to-struggle-for-real-change-egalitarian-society |work=The Express Tribune |date=28 September 2014 |language=en}}</ref>

The Second Federal Congress was held on October 15–16, 2016 in Karachi.<ref>{{cite news |title=Campaign: Awami workers stage rain march to Karachi |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1198610/campaign-awami-workers-stage-rain-march-karachi |work=The Express Tribune |date=13 October 2016 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="dawn_1290194">{{cite news |last1=Baloch |first1=Saher |title=Left-wing political parties key to counter society's militarisation: AWP |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1290194 |work=DAWN.COM |date=16 October 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Fanoos Gujjar, was elected as the president and Akhter Hussain (former president Sindh Bar Council) as general secretary.<ref>{{cite news |title='AWP only force struggling for rights of the working class' |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/157655-AWP-only-force-struggling-for-rights-of-the-working-class |work=www.thenews.com.pk |language=en}}</ref>

Third central party congress was held on 12–13 March 2022 in Lahore in which Yousuf Mustikhan was elected as president, Akhtar Hussain as Senior Vice President, Bakhshal Thalho as general secretary and Aasim Sajjad Akhtar as deputy general secretary.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=The Newspaper's Staff |title=AWP vows to strive for socialist society |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1679794/awp-vows-to-strive-for-socialist-society |work=DAWN.COM |date=14 March 2022 |language=en}}</ref>

Fourth Delegate Congress was held on 26–27 April 2025 at Lahore in which Akhtar Hussain was elected as the President, Javed Akhtar as Senior Vice President, Farhat Abbas as general Secretary and Yousaf Kakar as Deputy Secretary General, Ahtisham Akbar as Secretary Youth / Students, Zahid Pervez as Secretary Finance, Asar Imam as Secretary Information, Abida Chaudhary as Secretary Women, Mohammad Jamil as Secretary Labour, Iqbal Malik as Secretary Kisan / Harri, Dalawar Abbas as Secretary Art & Culture, Prof. Shah Jahan as Secretary Education, Pervez Fateh as Secretary International Affairs.

=== General elections 2013 === In the 2013 Pakistani general election, the party received 18,650 votes or 0.04% of the national share.<ref>{{cite web |title=General Elections 2013 |url=https://ecp.gov.pk/Documents/General%20Elections%202013%20report/Election%20Report%202013%20Volume-II.pdf |website=The Election Commission of Pakistan (ECP) |access-date=2020-12-26 |archive-date=2018-05-26 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180526173608/https://ecp.gov.pk/Documents/General%20Elections%202013%20report/Election%20Report%202013%20Volume-II.pdf |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== Elections 2015 === AWP took part in the 2015 elections in Gilgit-Baltistan. Baba Jan was AWP's candidate in GBLA-6 constituency. Jan came second<ref>{{cite news |title=Nawaz Sharif's party facing acid test in Gilgit by-election |url=https://www.financialexpress.com/world-news/nawaz-sharifs-party-facing-acid-test-in-gilgit-by-election/270250/ |work=The Financial Express |date=31 May 2016}}</ref> to PMLN's Mir Gazanfar Ali. New elections in GBLA-6 were expected to be held in September 2016 after the seat became vacant on Mir Gazanfar's appointment as Governor. However, Baba Jan's paper was rejected.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Correspondent |first1=The Newspaper's |title=AWP leader's papers for Hunza by-poll rejected |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1255546 |work=DAWN.COM |date=1 May 2016 |language=en}}</ref> Akhun Bhai contested the by polls in place of Baba Jan.<ref>{{cite news |title=GBLA-6 Hunza: Left wing activist to contest by-polls in place of Baba Jan |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1160386/gbla-6-hunza-left-wing-activist-contest-polls-place-baba-jan |work=The Express Tribune |date=11 August 2016 |language=en}}</ref>

=== General Elections 2018 === In the 2018 Pakistani general election, AWP received 35,870 votes.<ref>{{cite web |title=ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan |url=https://www.ecp.gov.pk/frmVotebank.aspx |website=www.ecp.gov.pk}}</ref> In July, 2018, at the Karachi Press Club, secretary general, advocate Akhtar Hussain, and senior vice president Yousuf Mustikhan, issued the party's 10-point agenda as their manifesto. The main focus of manifesto was abolishing the medieval tribal and feudal system in the country.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=The Newspaper's Staff |title=Awami Workers Party unveils election manifesto |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1418998 |work=DAWN.COM |date=10 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

From the federal capital Islamabad, Ammar Rashid (president AWP Punjab) ran for the National Assembly seat NA-53<ref>{{cite web |title=ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan |url=https://www.ecp.gov.pk/ConstResult.aspx?Const_Id=NA-53&type=NA&Election_ID=10070&Election=GENERAL%20ELECTION%2025%20JUL%202018 |website=www.ecp.gov.pk}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The rise of 'aam shehri' |url=https://blogs.tribune.com.pk/story/68774/the-rise-of-aam-shehri/}}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=Constituency detail {{!}} ElectionsPakistan.pk |url=https://backend.electionspakistan.pk/en/constituency/53 |website=backend.electionspakistan.pk |access-date=2020-12-26 |archive-date=2019-11-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191101220753/https://backend.electionspakistan.pk/en/constituency/53 |url-status=dead }}</ref><ref>{{cite web |title=NA 53 Elections Results 2018 |url=https://dnd.com.pk/na-53-elections-results-and-candidates-2018/145399 |website=Dispatch News Desk |date=23 July 2018}}</ref> and Ismat Shahjahan (deputy general secretary AWP), for the National Assembly seat NA-54.<ref name="ECP">{{cite web |title=ECP - Election Commission of Pakistan |url=https://www.ecp.gov.pk/frmGenericPage.aspx?PageID=3160 |website=www.ecp.gov.pk}}</ref><ref name="Give me your Poor Samaa">{{cite news |title=Give me your poor and young: Ismat Shahjahan to fight for Islamabad's water, katchi abadis, workers {{!}} Samaa Digital |url=https://www.samaa.tv/culture/2018/06/give-me-your-poor-and-young-ismat-shahjahan-to-fight-for-islamabads-water-katchi-abadis-workers/ |work=Samaa TV}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Seven unique candidates making the news this election cycle |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1421349 |work=DAWN.COM |date=21 July 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

Fanoos Gujjar contested elections from his native constituency, Buner in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.<ref>{{cite web |title=Fanoos Gujjar NA-9 |url=https://www.voteforawp.org/candidates/fanoos-gujjar/ |website=Vote For AWP! |publisher=Awami Workers Party |access-date=14 January 2019 |language=en |archive-date=14 January 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190114153206/https://www.voteforawp.org/candidates/fanoos-gujjar/ |url-status=dead }}</ref>

=== GB Elections 2020 === In the 2020 GB Elections, Baba Jan submitted papers as primary candidate for the GBA-6 Hunza seat and Asif Saeed Sakhi<ref>{{cite web |title=GBLA-6 Hunza Election 2020 |url=https://www.electionpakistani.com/gilgit-baltistan-2020/GBLA-6.html |website=www.electionpakistani.com}}</ref> as Jan's covering candidate. Jan's candidature was rejected<ref>{{cite web |last1=Pk |first1=Voice |title=Protestors demand for release of Baba Jan and others |url=https://voicepk.net/2020/10/08/protestors-demand-for-release-of-baba-jan-and-others-threaten-to-withdraw-poll-papers/ |website=Voicepk.net |date=8 October 2020}}</ref> and Sakhi contested the elections on AWP ticket. He got 2,612 votes and came fifth in the polls.<ref>{{cite web |title=GBA-6 Results - Gilgit Baltistan Election 2020 Results |url=https://www.geo.tv/election/gb/GBA-6 |website=www.geo.tv}}</ref>

=== General Elections 2024 === In the 2024 General Elections, AWP nominated Iqbal Jahan for NA-47. He received 148 votes and 20th position in the polls<ref>{{cite web |title= General Election 2024 Results |url=https://galluppakistandigitalanalytics.com/general-elections-2024-pakistan-dashboard/ |publisher = Gallup Pakistan Digital Analytics}}</ref>

== Notable Events == === Blocking of Party's Website === AWP's website was blocked on June 3, 2018.<ref>{{cite web |title=Study reveals extent of Awami Workers political party website block in Pakistan |url=https://netblocks.org/reports/study-reveals-extent-of-awami-workers-political-party-website-block-in-pakistan-zgBLrk84 |website=NetBlocks |date=3 June 2018}}</ref> On June 6, 2018, party submitted application to Election Commission of Pakistan to urgently remove the block from party's official website.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=A. |title=AWP contacts ECP, telecom authority against website blockage |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1412269 |work=DAWN.COM |date=6 June 2018 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=AWP appeals to ECP to help unblock its official website |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/249521/awp-appeals-to-ecp-to-help-unblock-its-official-website/ |work=Daily Times |date=5 June 2018}}</ref> On February 18, 2019, AWP filed a petition<ref>{{cite news |title=AWP challenges PTA in court over blocked website |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/355836/awp-challenges-pta-in-court-over-blocked-website/ |work=Daily Times |date=17 February 2019}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=AWP takes PTA to court for blocking website {{!}} Pakistan Today |url=https://www.pakistantoday.com.pk/2019/02/16/awp-takes-pta-to-court-over-censorship-of-website/ |work=www.pakistantoday.com.pk}}</ref> in Islamabad High Court (IHC) against censorship of its website by Pakistan Telecommunication Authority (PTA).<ref>{{cite news |title=Blocking websites unlawfully |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1507021 |work=DAWN.COM |date=24 September 2019 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |last1=Reporter |first1=The Newspaper's Staff |title=IHC issues notice to PTA for blocking political party's website |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1464651 |work=DAWN.COM |date=19 February 2019 |language=en}}</ref> On September 12, 2019, the IHC ruled that the blocking of website was in violation of natural justice according to Article 10-A in the Constitution of Pakistan.<ref name="Global freedom" />

=== Decease of Fanoos Gujjar === Fanoos Gujjar, the founding member of AWP and served as chairman of the party from 2012 to 2016,<ref>{{cite news |title=The left unites: To offer an alternative to status quo, new left party formed |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/459968/the-left-unites-to-offer-an-alternative-to-status-quo-new-left-party-formed/ |publisher=The Express Tribune |date=November 3, 2012}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=The Left way: AWP vows to struggle for 'real' change, egalitarian society |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/768562/the-left-way-awp-vows-to-struggle-for-real-change-egalitarian-society/ |publisher=The Express Tribune |date=September 29, 2014}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=AWP calls for revival of working class politics |url=https://www.thenews.com.pk/archive/print/528270-awp-calls-for-revival-of-working-class-politics |work=www.thenews.com.pk |date=September 30, 2014 |language=en}}</ref><ref name="dawn_1290194"/><ref>{{cite news |title=Privatization, Roots for Equity |url=https://rootsforequity.noblogs.org/weekly-news-bulletin/privatization/ |date=January 31, 2018}}</ref> and president of the party from 2016 till his death.<ref>{{cite news |title=Way forward: Fanoos Gujjar takes up AWP mantle |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1201206/way-forward-fanoos-gujjar-takes-awp-mantle/ |date=October 18, 2016}}</ref><ref name="cardiac">{{cite news |title=AWP President Fanoos Gujjar dies of cardiac arrest {{!}} The High Asia Herald |url=https://thehighasia.com/awp-president-fanoos-gujjar-dies-of-cardiac-arrest/ |publisher=thehighasia |date=December 1, 2018}}</ref><ref>{{cite news |title=Eight-party Left Alliance demands immediate release of all political prisoners |url=https://dailytimes.com.pk/244874/eight-party-left-alliance-demands-immediate-release-of-all-political-prisoners/ |work=Daily Times |date=25 May 2018}}</ref> He died on December 1, 2018, due to cardiac arrest in his native village Riyal, Union Council Batala, district Buner. He was suffering from multiple diseases and was left with just one kidney for the last ten years of his life<ref name="cardiac" /><ref>{{cite news |title=Fanoos Gujjar was a true leader of working class: Bizenjo |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1449683 |access-date=14 January 2019 |work=Dawn |date=6 December 2018 |language=en}}</ref>

=== Departure of LPP member === In October 2019, one member of Labour Party announced its resignation from the AWP. LPP leader and former AWP General Secretary Farooq Tariq alleged that his group was being "witch-hunted" in the party, and said that the party had been reluctant to work with farmers, workers and democratic movements, or to campaign for the release of political prisoner Baba Jan, a leading AWP member.<ref>{{cite news |title=Fissures in AWP |url=https://www.dawn.com/news/1508604/fissures-in-awp |access-date=5 October 2019 |work=Dawn |date=3 October 2019}}</ref>

=== Release of Baba Jan and other workers === Baba Jan (former vice-president AWP and currently a member of the Federal Committee)<ref>{{cite news|last1=Mir|first1=Shabbir|title=Case closed: G-B Chief Court acquits Baba Jan, 11 other protesters|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/867209/case-closed-g-b-chief-court-acquits-baba-jan-11-other-protesters/|access-date=4 May 2016|work=Express Tribune|date=9 April 2015}}</ref> was sentenced to 71 years in jail along with 14 people by the Gilgit-Baltistan courts; they were tried for charges of terrorism for inciting public against the state during the Aliabad incident.<ref>{{cite web |title=Court in G-B upholds Baba Jan's life term |url=https://tribune.com.pk/story/1119586/decisive-court-g-b-upholds-baba-jans-life-term |website=The Express Tribune |language=en |date=9 June 2016}}</ref><ref>{{cite news|last1=Mir|first1=Shabbir|title=Hunza riots of 2011: ATC awards life sentence to activist Baba Jan, 11 others - The Express Tribune|url=http://tribune.com.pk/story/767285/hunza-riots-of-2011-atc-awards-life-sentence-to-activist-baba-jan-11-others/|access-date=4 May 2016|work=The Express Tribune|date=26 September 2014|language=en-US}}</ref> He was released from jail after nine years on November 27, 2020, after a week-long Aliabad sit-in by the families of the prisoners.<ref>{{cite news |title=Baba Jan, Iftikhar Karbalai released after 9 years {{!}} SAMAA |url=https://www.samaa.tv/news/2020/11/baba-jan-iftikhar-karbalai-released-after-9-years/ |work=Samaa TV}}</ref>

== Activities == The party has been one of the only groups actively defending against demolition and eviction of informal housing residents from state machinery especially the CDA.<ref>cite article|url=https://awamiworkersparty.org/campaigns/katchi-abadi-timeline/ |title=Supreme Court Katchi Abadi Case Timeline |work=Awami Workers Party</ref><ref>cite news|url=https://propakistani.pk/proproperty/residents-from-katchi-abadis-protest-against-cdas-evictions-and-demolitions-in-islamabad/ |title=Residents from Katchi Abadis Protest Against CDA's Evictions and Demolitions in Islamabad| work=ProPakistani</ref>

The party regularly holds seminars, lectures and workshops detailing the position of the party in the current political environment, across Karachi, Islamabad and Gilgit Baltistan.

== Party Leadership == * Abid Hassan Minto * Fanoos Gujjar (Deceased) * Yousuf Mustikhan (Deceased) * Akhtar Hussain * Javed Akhtar * Aasim Sajjad Akhtar * Baba Jan (politician) * Farhat Abbas * Prof. Hamza Virk * Abdullah Safi * Haider Zaman Akhunzada * Qazi Ali Nawaz Nizamani * Rana Azam * Malik Mohammad Azam * Prof. Shahzahan

==References== {{Reflist}}

==External links== * {{Official website|http://www.awamiworkersparty.org}} * {{Cite web|url=http://www.aj-pak.org/|title=Awami Jamhooriat 2017, first socialist Urdu paper of Pakistan|website=www.aj-pak.org|access-date=2019-05-11}} * {{Facebook|id=AwamiWorkersParty}} * {{Cite web|url=http://www.sapf-uk.org/|title=South Asian Peoples Forum UK Home Page SAPF-UK|website=www.sapf-uk.org|access-date=2019-05-11}} * {{Cite web|url=http://www.sapfonline.org/|title=Welcome to the South Asian Peoples Forum online|website=www.sapfonline.org|access-date=2019-05-11}}

{{Pakistani political parties}}

Category:Awami Workers Party Category:Socialist parties in Pakistan Category:Political parties established in 2012 Category:Labour history of Pakistan Category:Secularism in Pakistan Category:Far-left politics in Pakistan Category:2012 establishments in Pakistan Category:Democratic socialist parties in Asia