Business Recorder op-ed writer Rashed Rahman has touched a very important issue in his last contribution to the newspaper: "The first drops of rains: a new united Left platform". Writing with genuine conviction, the writer has forcefully declared that Left still exists in Pakistan.
The meeting of Leftist or Left-leaning parties has thrown up a lesson for all political parties that are dominating the current political scene in a highly effective manner; PPP, PML-N and PTI, for example, are left with no choice but to make their position clear on the issues or demands enumerated by country's Left forces at their Lahore meeting recently. There can be no easy answer to the question whether or not Left still has a future in Pakistan. In the case of India, for example, Left has largely been reduced to Kerala and Mizoram states, forcing its proponents or supporters to re-create and re-invent themselves in order to remain relevant in present-day India's politics which at this point in time is dominated by far-right Sangh Parivar. The challenge of India's Left has become more formidable after Centre-left Congress decides to transform itself into a Centre-right party by introducing Rahul Gandhi to voters as "Genao Dhari Brahamin"; its approach in the recently held state elections of Gujarat is a strong case in point.
All Left parties and groups in Pakistan are therefore required to reach out to people by successfully selling their program. No doubt their coming together constitutes first drops of rain on the political landscape of Pakistan which is largely characterized by parties lacking true ideological moorings; they are in fact largely interest groups guided by a corporate spirit to protect and preserve their power.
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