Tufail Abbas
Tufail Abbas (c. 1928 – 8 September 2019)[1] was a Pakistani trade unionist and communist politician. He was a veteran labour leader in the airline industry, heading the Airways Employees Union.[2][3] In later years he served as chairman of the Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaz ('Pakistan Workers Front') and chief editor of the Urdu monthly Awami Manshoor.[4]
Airline industry union leader
Abbas was a union leader at
In the Communist Party
Abbas was recruited to the
Sino-Soviet split
In 1966 the Sindh Provincial Committee was split in pro-Soviet and pro-China parties, a split taking place in the aftermath of the
After the 1966 split Abbas' faction began seeking to build an organization across West Pakistan.[9] It also had some contacts in East Pakistan.[9] Abbas' labour wing was known as the Quami Mazdoor Mahaz ('National Labour Front'), which emerged from the Markezi Mazdoor Committee in 1969.[3][11] The Airways Employees Union was the strongest union inside the Quami Mazdoor Mahaz.[3]
Alliance with Bhutto
Tacitly, the Abbas faction provided support to Zulfikar Ali Bhutto.[12] In the late 1960s, some members of the Abbas' faction joined Bhutto's Pakistan People's Party on the instruction of the party and began occupying positions in the PPP.[13] Abbas' support base amongst students and workers played an important role in building the PPP in Karachi at its earliest phase.[14] One of the key leaders of Abbas' faction that became a PPP leader was Meraj Muhammad Khan.[14] Nevertheless, Abbas' group opted not to participate in the 1970 elections.[13]
In the context of the Bangladesh Liberation War, Abbas' faction opposed military action in East Pakistan at some points whilst maintaining a critical view of Sheikh Mujibur Rahman's Awami League.[12]
Details of Tufail Abbas's alliance with Bhutto and his political career is given in the Urdu book named "Under Ground" by Ashraf Shad.
Sino-Albanian split
Abbas sided with Albania in the
Later years
Abbas' autobiography Subah ki lagan ('Yearning for Dawn') was published in 2010.[4][6]
Abbas died in Karachi on September 8, 2019.[15]
References
- ^ "Comrade Tufail Abbas passes away". 9 September 2019.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ^ a b c Amjad, Rashid and Khalid Mahmood. Industrial relations and the political process in Pakistan 1947–1977
- ^ a b The News. Tufail Abbas’s autobiography launched
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ^ a b c d e f The Tribune. From Tufail Abbas to Sohail Baluch, the way of the union
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ^ a b Revolutionary Democracy. An Interview with Tufail Abbas of the Pakistan Mazdoor Mahaaz
- ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ^ ISBN 978-0-19-940308-0.
- ^ a b Workers Hammer. Pakistan 1968–69: Hidden history of the workers upsurge
- ^ Dawn. Comrade Tufail Abbas passes away