Dear Comrades!

First and foremost, on behalf of the delegation of the Communist Party of Pakistan, I sincerely thank the Communist Party of Turkey for their exceptional hospitality. We appreciate TKP for organising the 23^rdInternational Meeting, which is a testament to their strong commitmenttowards the international solidarity of the communist parties of the world.

Comrades,

The Communist Party of Pakistan stands in solidarity with the people of brotherly Cuba and the Communist Party of Cuba. We not only denounce the economic blockade of the United States and its imperialist allies to undermine Cuba's socialist system, but we also call upon the global fraternity to play their role in ending the sanctions on Cuba.

The Communist Party of Pakistan stands in solidarity with the central committee of the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV), elected at the 16th Congress with Comrade Oscar Figuera as general secretary. We strongly condemn the bourgeoise Maduro’s anti-communist socialist democrat government (PSUV) in plotting the ban through the puppet supreme court on the Communist Party of Venezuela (PCV).   

Comrades,

The current situation in Ukraine, plagued by imperialist interests, is a great concern for the entire world. On one hand, the people of Ukraine are suffering the consequences of their fascist government's policies. Economic devastation and loss of life are rampant. On the other hand, Russia, having fallen prey to the US conspiracies, validated its imperialist character more clearly due to its attack on Ukraine, which has also jeopardised the lives of its people. Thousands of soldiers and innocent people are already dead or wounded to disability for life on both sides. The unholy alliance of the Imperialist world, especially the US and its European allies, especially NATO member countries,are spending aimlessly on arms and other war materials for its proxy warin Ukraine, which has further added fuel to the fire.We, the CP Pakistan, believe that the war in Ukraine is a war within Imperialism. The time has come when it is imperative for the mass mobilisation and effective coordination of the common people of Russia, Ukraine, the US, and European countries on the same footprints the world had witnessed at the time of the US terrorism in Vietnam and Iraq, to end this imperialist war, whose multi-faceted devastating effects have destabilised the whole world, especially the developing and under-developing countries of Asia, Africa and Latin America.

Comrades,

We believe that in the present day, not only in Pakistan but across most Asian,African, and Latin American countries, international corporate capital has massively intensified the exploitation, particularly in two aspects: the export of capital and the export of goods. Pakistan and many other countries have become consumer societies for such exported goods because the local industrial production and manufacturing output are expansive due to increased production costs.Imperialist Finance capital has not only taken over the productive apparatus of under-developed and least-developed countries but has also ensnared the governments of these countries in new forms of indebtedness dictated by the players of neocolonialism comprising mainly the US,including the West’s sponsored and controlled imperialist lending institutions and China.

In this new era of neocolonialism, the competition among these imperialist playersis taking the shape of the principal contradiction,further accelerating the exploitation of the under and least-developed countries of the world.

Pakistan is the unique example being sandwiched between these two imperialist blocs. As a result, the country's economic infrastructure has completely defaulted, and the governance seems completely ineffective and inefficient.

With the dictation of the anti-masses policies from the imperialist lending institutions, especially the IMF, which represents one side of the imperialist bloc, meaning the USA and its Western European allies, the currency has beenmassively devaluated; inflationand policy rates have skyrocketed, and unbearable taxes are being imposed on petroleum products and electricity, including daily use necessities. This has resulted in an extraordinary increase in unemployment and poverty; particularly,its effect is profound among the working-class, middle-class, and white-collar professionals, making it increasingly difficult for them to manage their already scarce means of living. Disappointment, desperation, frustration, and hopelessness have led to increasedcrimes, suicides, prostitution, and begging, while hundreds andthousands of Pakistaniyouthleave the country each year legally and illegally, either falling prey to human trafficking or becoming victims of inhumane practices, especially in the Arab countries.

The other side of the Imperialist block, where Pakistan is sandwiched, is China, our neighbour. It refers to itself as a socialist based on the Chinese model of socialism and has invested in Pakistan under the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC). The agreements under this protocol were kept confidential, and I will explain how Pakistan fell prey to the Chinese imperialist version of neocolonialism with a few examples.

China invested in the energy sector and usedour local input resources like coal, uranium, and water. The so-called investments are loans in a real sense, guaranteed by the state in the form of the international compatible unit purchase price, which is in the USD. If the energy consumption is not as per agreement, we pay these Chinese companies the full in terms of capacity charge for the units of energy not used nor even generated.  

Let's take the examples of CPEC road infrastructure and Gwadar port investment projects by China. Pakistan does not need the Gwadar seaport as,firstly, its already two functional ports are underutilised. Secondly, the Gwadar port's location is not economically and financially feasible for Pakistan’s trade, industrial sectors, and markets. The Gwadar port was the only need of China to link through CPEC infrastructure as an alternative to its growing contradictions in the South China Sea and make the Kashghar economic development zone, which is the base to lift the central and northwestern parts of China.

Now,let's talk about the CPEC-related road infrastructure. It has a western side of Pakistan, which has no major population density, no trading and industrial hubs, and the route intention was merely the shortest route for Chinese transport goods from Gwadar to the Chinese border, Which, despite huge Chinese investment model of loans, had been spent. The same case is with Gold and Copper mines, which are in the hands of the Chinese, where the impure forms are exported to China and treated there, and in return, unknown peanuts are handed over to the state.

We were given these investments by Chinese private and state-owned lending institutions on interest rates far higher than international benchmarks (Some expert says more than 7%); loanswere short-term whereas internationally development loans are always long-term; the state guaranteed the return on investments and interest on what conditions no one knows; only Chinese companies were conditioned to execute these projects with the Chinese materials, equipment, plant, machinery and even the major manpower was Chinese. The irony is that we had only a 9% share in port revenue, and no one knows when it will be realised. Still, the state spends a handsome amount yearly forthe security costs of these Chinese investments and personnel for which a new force comprising 30 thousand men has been formed. 

What other examples of Neocolonialism should I give that Pakistan has experienced at the hands of Socialist China? We, the Communist Party of Pakistan, are actively resisting and confronting the exploitation of the above-mentioned imperialist blocs in Pakistan. On the platform available today, I repeat that We now equally condemn the US and Chinese imperialist neocolonialism designs in Pakistan. We shall keep on waging our struggle against these.

Dear Comrades!

Meanwhile, the Pakistani elite, comprising the military establishment, civil bureaucracy, top court judges, feudal, local capitalists, and politicians, have continuously been adamant about curtailing their exuberant lifestyles, expenditures, perks &benefits, and unlawful exploitation for soaring profits. Consequently, the common Pakistani people suffer from inflation, unemployment, poverty, and destitution. Similarly, sectarian, and religious fundamentalism with violent reflections is deep rooted in society and has volatized completely the spirit of patience in society. The exported cross-borderarms and economic terrorism from Afghanistan, India and Iran through their proxies in Pakistan has added fuel to the fire, resulting in intensified political, economic, peace and security instability, which has, over the period, burdened Pakistan's already weakened economic structure to collapse. The recent example of the Taliban after taking control of Afghanistan and denying fundamental civil rights and facilities like education to females, there is a mass migration of people of Afghanistan for seeking the already constrained opportunities in Pakistan related to employment, food, education, health, etc.  

Pakistan's ruling elite is led by the military establishment, whichhas always controlled the political canvas of the country since its inception and consistently switched the country’s interests towards the US regional imperialist interests. But now it has struck up and cannot decide on its current and future alignment with China or the US imperialist interests. Consequently, the country has become the battleground in the competition between the growing contradictions between China and the US for their hegemony over Pakistan.

Pakistan, especially after this year's May 09 event when Imran Khan and its party, with the help of a section of the military establishment,tried to coup against the current army chief, is in a state of practical martial lawthrough constitutional legislations and Parliament which was earlier rubber stamp, is now subservient to the military establishment.

The military now hasconstitutional solid protection for their already operated tax-free businesses like owning national and international trading hubs, banks, other financial institutions and industries, and newly launched agri-business by holding the state agriculture lands and dislodging the farmers from their lands in the name of promoting agriculture in collaboration with the multi-national state-owned companies of the Middle East and Saudi Arabia. 

Hence, Pakistan's economy, political & governance system and policymaking are in the hands of the military generals. To Speak against and protest these odds is considered a crime, which is again protected through the PECA act and extending judicial space by allowing military courts to try civilians. Civil and military agencies widely adopt the enforced disappearance tactic, especially in Balochistan, Sindh, KPK, Gilgit Baltistan, and Pakistan-controlled Kashmir if not trialled under the earlier mentioned draconian laws.

Dear Comrades!

Lastly, I would like to confirm that the Communist Party of Pakistan continues to resist in these circumstances. We believe in continuous activism based on the ideals of Marxism-Leninism against the policies of the US and Chinese imperial institutions, the elite establishment of Pakistan led by the military establishment, and the military establishment’s designed religious and political parties. We stand committed to pressurisingthe government and aware masses to adopt a policy of peaceful coexistence with neighbouring countries, with non-interference and non-intervention. In the recent successful 10th Congress of the Communist Party of Pakistan held in June 2023 in the capital city of Islamabad, we not only evaluated our strategies from the period of the last congress but reorganisedin adopting the new practical strategical measures aiming to accelerate our struggle with the aim of completely freeing the country from the US and Chinese imperialism, the stratocracy of the military establishment, feudalism, capitalism and establishing a secular socialist society. To achieve this, we arestrengthening the revolutionary narrative through our political, organisational, and ideological work from the party platform and its fronts in students, youth, farmers, factory workers and intellectuals, uniting the forces that struggle for Socialist politics and advancing the struggle to the next stage.

To conclude, the situation globally and in Pakistan demands our united,coordinated front against every form of imperialist exploitation and corporate imperialism on the principle of international communist solidarity. The Communist Party of Pakistan stands ready to collaborate with like-minded parties and movements to combat these challenges and work towards a more just and equitable world. The working classes of Pakistan and from countries of our fraternal parties must break free from the shackles of financial imperialism and prioritise the interests of their people over those of global financethat are pushing nations and their citizens towards destitution and exploitation. Together, we can build a more just and equitable world for all.

Long Live the Revolution

Long Live the Marxism-Leninism

Long Live the Communist International

Down with the Imperialism and Revisionism

Comrade Imdad Qazi

General Secretary of the Communist Party of Pakistan