Thousands of peasants, workers and students from across the Punjab marched through the city on Saturday demanding a transformation of the national security state into a people's welfare state and a reformed electoral system.
The rally was organised by the Workers Party Pakistan (WPP) and featured the participation of numerous trade unions, student organisations and peasant movements including Anjuman Mazarain Punjab (AMP), Pakistan Trade Union Federation, All-Pakistan PWD Workers Union, Railway Workers Union, All Pakistan Alliance of Katchi Abadis, National Students Federation (NSF) and Bonded Labour Liberation Front (BLLF). The WPP activists from at least 10 districts of the Punjab also participated in the rally. The participants were holding red flags and banners, and chanted slogans vociferously against imperialism, the military establishment, feudalism and capitalism.
The rally started from the Railway Station moved towards Lakshmi Chowk and it concluded after speeches by WPP leaders. The Workers Party Pakistan (WPP) president Abid Hasan Minto alleged that the intelligence agencies continue to manipulate the political process and particularly provincial and national elections and a mockery is made of democracy as a result. On top of this there is no enforcement of the bar on spending in elections which means that it is impossible for ordinary citizens to participate in the electoral process.