Most of you know Jawad Ahmad as a pop singer and musician; a few of you may even know that he writes many of his own songs; but perhaps hardly anyone knows that he is also an activist who has a passion for improving the lives of the working class and other oppressed segments of the society. He believes in absolute equality of all human beings and is determined to work towards a socially, politically and economically just world. It is for this reason that he chairs an organization, Rise for Pakistan, and is in the process of establishing an International Youth Movement. The main purpose of the organization is to educate and inform the youth of Pakistan and equip them with leadership skills so that they can become agents of change for a better world.
He recently wrote and recorded a song, “Sun Lo Key Hum Mazdoor Hain” in honor of the unfortunate victims of Baldia Town factory fire on Sept 11, 2012---one of the worst incidents affecting the working class in Pakistan’s history. I attended the event on December 31, 2012, where Jawad sang this song to pay tribute to the bereaved families and claim solidarity with the working class. While the first part of the song, which is a heart wrenching account of a victim of the fire, brought tears to many eyes, the second part, which is a pledge and resolve by the workers to never let this happen again, enthralled the listeners as they sang along. The event was organized by PILER (Pakistan Institute of Labor Education and Research) and other labor organizations and trade unions as well as the International Youth Movement and held in the Labor Square, SITE area, Karachi, where the disastrous incident occurred.
It was attended by a large number of laborers from that area and families of the victims, with many holding pictures of their loved ones who had perished in that fire. For them it was an emotional and unforgettable event. A woman was holding a picture of her son and when I asked her what had happened, she was overcome by grief and started crying. Holding his tears back, a man said that his brother was still missing which means that they have not been able to identify his body. An old man handed me a petition to get some help from the government since his two sons burned to death in the fire. Many others were eager to get their grievances recorded. Their plight highlights the dangerous and inhumane conditions in which most of the workers spend a major part of their lives.
Jawad addressed the audience saying that the class system in Pakistan as well as in the world has kept human beings enslaved and unequal. It is only when workers will unite for their rights, overcoming artificial and man made divides like race, religion, gender, ethnicity and nationality that they will be able to achieve their goal of a dignified life. He said that the workers were the real wealth creators of the world and we are indebted to them for all that we eat, wear, and use in our daily lives. His words inspired the audience who clapped and shouted in agreement.
Jawad and his camera crew recorded this event and it will be released in a few weeks as a video song.
History tells us that rights are never given out of good will or charity; they have to be claimed and taken. Workers and other oppressed segments of Pakistan have a long way to go and travel a difficult road, but with Jawad and his team leading this effort, it is an achievable goal. We invite you to be a part of this exciting journey. Visit us on www.riseforpakistan.org and on face book http://www.facebook.com/RiseForPakistan. You may contact us at info@riseforpakistan.org.
