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Lal Khan

For the Moghul court singer, see Gunsamundra.

Lal Khan (Urdu: لال خان; June 1956 – 21 February 2020) was a political activist and Marxist political theorist.

Lal Khan
Born
Tanveer Gondal[1]

1956 (1956)
Bhaun, Punjab, Pakistan
Died21 February 2020(2020-02-21) (aged 63) [2][3]
NationalityPakistani
Alma materNishtar Medical College
Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam
Occupation(s)Political theorist, activist, writer
OrganizationThe Struggle Pakistan
Notable workPakistan's Other Story; The 1968-9 Revolution
Websitewww.struggle.pk

Born Tanveer Gondal,[3] he was a physician by profession but ceased practicing medicine in order to devote his time to political activity. Adopting the name Lal Khan, he was the leader of the Pakistani Marxist organization The Struggle, and editor of its newspaper.[4] He also wrote regular articles for Daily Times[5] and the Dunya.[6]

He died on 21 February 2020 after being ill with cancer for more than a year.[2][7][3]

Early life

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In the 1970s, Khan was a student of medicine in Nishtar Medical College Multan and a political activist in Pakistan when the military coup of General Zia ul Haq toppled the Pakistan Peoples Party government, and subsequently hanged the country's first democratically elected prime minister Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto.[8] He was imprisoned for a year, then went to university in the capital of Pakistan, Islamabad.[9] He moved to The Netherlands in 1980 to escape by fearing the death sentence in Pakistan.[10] During his time in exile, he graduated from the Vrije Universiteit in Amsterdam, and continued to reside in the Netherlands for eight more years. In 1988, he returned to his country and quit his profession as a doctor, in order to work full-time in revolutionary politics.

Career

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Lal Khan addressing the Congress of The Struggle in Lahore (2008).

He was the leading member of The Struggle which is based on the ideas of Marx, Engels, Lenin and Trotsky and advocates a socialist transformation of Pakistan. It demands the nationalization of the commanding heights of the economy under workers control, an end to religious extremism and radicalism, the eradication of unemployment and free accessible education for all Pakistani citizens.[8] He was the editor of Asian Marxist Review and International Secretary of Pakistan Trade Union Defence Campaign.

Lal Khan criticized the partition of India and advocated for Indian reunification, which he stated would heal continuing wounds and solve the Kashmir conflict.[11] Advocating for a common revolution, Khan declared that "Five thousand years of common history, culture and society is too strong to be cleavaged by this partition."[12] His views are described his book "Crisis in the Indian Subcontinent, Partition: Can it be Undone?" in which Khan states that "revolutionary transformation of the economies and societies is an essential prerequisite for the reunification of the subcontinent."[13]

Reunification cannot be imposed on any nationality, community, religion or ethnic group. It must be a voluntary socialist federation. The main dynamic will be the programme and perspective of the revolutionary party, leading the insurrection. The programme must be based on the principles of scientific socialism. The eradication of misery, poverty, disease, ignorance, exploitation, national oppression and the subjugation of women and minorities in society is only possible through the overthrow of capitalism. The annihilation of the existing decaying and repressive states will be linked to the creation of a greater proletarian state based on a workers’ democracy. —Lal Khan[13]

On 12–13 March 2011 the largest congress of The Struggle was held in Lahore. These annual congresses are held to analyse the performance of The Struggle and to formulate new strategies for social change and revolution.[14][15]

In October 2013, Khan accused Malala Yousafzai's supporters in the West of appropriating her and concealing her socialist background.[16]

In a joint statement in August 2016, Khan and CPI(M) Jammu and Kashmir general secretary Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami called for revolutionary unity between the working classes of India and Pakistan to resolve the Kashmir conflict and overthrow capitalism in the subcontinent.[17]

Publications

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  • Partition – Can it be undone? This book examines the historical background of partition of the Indian subcontinent, and the formation of Pakistan and India.[18]
  • Lebanon-Israel War. Written in 2009, this book discusses not only the current conflict between Lebanon and Israel in detail, but also looks at the history of wars and revolutions in the whole region. The changing role of Iran in the region and the possibility of an invasion of Iran are also discussed in detail.
  • Pakistan's Other Story – The Revolution of 1968–69. This book examines the student and political activism of the late 1960s which gave birth to a revolution. Khan argues that due to lack of leadership courage, the opportunity to establish a worker's state was lost.[19][20]
  • Kashmir, A revolutionary way out. This book examines the possibility of the liberation of Kashmir under a united South Asian socialist federation.[21]

Death

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On 21 February 2020, he died after suffering from cancer for more than a year[22] at a local hospital in Lahore.

See also

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References

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  1. ^ "Blacked out". The Express Tribune. 12 August 2012.
  2. ^ a b "یہ سفر رائیگاں نہ جائے گا!". 21 February 2020.
  3. ^ a b c "In memory of Tanvir Gondal (Lal Khan) June 1956 – February 2020". In Defenxe of Marxism. 21 February 2020. Retrieved 21 February 2020.
  4. ^ Sampath Perera (30 June 2012). "New Pakistani prime minister appointed". World Socialist Web Site. International Committee of the Fourth International (ICFI). Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  5. ^ "You searched for test/ /483/Lal Khan". Daily Times.
  6. ^ "Dr lal khan - Columns – Jado Jehd - Dunya Columns - Urdu Columns – Roznama Dunya".
  7. ^ "Leftist leader Dr Lal Khan passes away". www.thenews.com.pk.
  8. ^ a b "Interview with Lal Khan from Pakistan". Newyouth.com. 8 June 1999. Archived from the original on 17 February 2012. Retrieved 19 March 2012.
  9. ^ "Lal Khan". Meri Jedojehad (in Urdu). Karachi. 7 November 2010. AAJ TV. Archived from the original on 20 December 2021.
  10. ^ Sher Khan; Hashim Bin Rashid (21 October 2007). "Blacked out". The Express Tribune. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  11. ^ Samaddar, Ranabir (27 February 2008). "Indian review of 'Partition - can it be undone?'". In Defence of Marxism. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  12. ^ Khan, Lal; Ghosh, Paramita (24 October 2007). "Can Partition be Undone? – An Interview with Lal Khan". Radical Notes. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
  13. ^ a b Khan, Lal (2005). Crisis in the Indian Subcontinent, Partition: Can it be Undone?. The Struggle Publications. pp. 127, 128.
  14. ^ "The Struggle congress 2009 – Pakistan Marxists on the move!". In Defence of Marxism. 27 March 2009. Retrieved 12 March 2011.
  15. ^ Anonymous (10 March 2013). "Historic 32nd congress of Pakistani section of IMT – First Day". In Defense of Marxism. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  16. ^ Lal Khan. "Malala's ordeal". Daily Times. Retrieved 21 October 2013.
  17. ^ Mohammed Yousuf Tarigami; Lal Khan (30 August 2016). "Kashmir: Repression, Obstacles and Resilience of the Mass Struggle". Asian Marxist Review. Retrieved 1 September 2016.
  18. ^ R. L. Singal (12 August 2007). "View from the left". The Tribune. Retrieved 29 July 2012.
  19. ^ Mamoon Chaudhry (18 August 2012). "Review: Pakistan's Other Story: The Revolution of 1968–1969 by Lal Khan". Dawn. Retrieved 18 August 2012.
  20. ^ Mahtab Bashir (30 December 2008). "Dr Lal Khan's book launched". Daily Times (Pakistan). Retrieved 24 July 2012.
  21. ^ ""Kashmir, A revolutionary way out" by Lal Khan". The Struggle (in Urdu). 18 April 2012. Archived from the original on 19 September 2012. Retrieved 11 August 2012.
  22. ^ Dhakku, Nabeel Anwar (28 February 2020). "Tributes paid to Dr Lal Khan". DAWN.COM. Retrieved 5 March 2020.
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