Prof.Ameer Hamza Vir
k
Major Ishaq Muhammad was a great political leader of the Left in Pakistan. He was a great Marxist and Leninist, intellectual, and freedom fighter. He was not only a political leader of Pakistan. He was a writer and had complete control on Marxism and Leninism and Maoism. He wrote many books as, Hassan Nassar ki Shadat (Political murder of comrade Hassan Nassar), Dilemma of Punjab, Dilemma of East Pakistan, Mussaly, Quqnass, Khana Abadi (Dramas), and hundred of articles on Marxism Leninism and Pakistani politics and class struggle. Ishaq Muhammad’s “death” anniversary is being celebrated today by the Communist Mazdoor Kissan Party (CMKP) all over the Pakistan. Ishaq Muhammad was born in Jallandhar (India) district on 4 April 1921. His native village was AKHARA,seventeen kilometer from Jallandhar. He belong to a poor peasant family. His father’s name was Noor Muhammad. His father was an un-educated kissan. The grand father of Major Ishaq was educated from the molvies of Jummaitul-ulmai Hind from Delhi. Therefore he was anti British. Ishaq Muhammad passed the fourth class examination from the village ‘Janday Sirdarana’. This was the first primary school of that area. He passed the middle slandered examination from BHOG PUR and passed his Matriculation from URR MURR district Hushyar Pur. From first to tenth class, he wear Chadar Kurta and Pug on his head. After Matric, he did his F.A from D.A.V college Jallandher and in 1941, he passed B.A from M.A.O college AMRATSIR. In Amratsir Dr.M.D.Taseer was principal and Faiz Ahmad Faiz was the teacher of English literature. Although Faiz Ahmad Faiz was Major’s teacher in college But out of college they were comrades and learnt Marxism from FAZAL ELAHI QURBAN. Fazal Elahi Qurban was underground at that time.
In MAO College Amratsar he learnt much from their teachers like Faiz and Taseer. Poet Zaheer Kashmiri was his class fellow in Amratsar. In that age Major Sahib wrote some literary essays which published in various magazines. In 1940, he wrote a historic essay on SIKH MUSLIM UNITY which published in daily ‘IHSAN’ Lahore. After B.A he joined Indian Army as Second Lieutenant and went to Burma. Dr. Taseer and Faiz also joined army. In 1944 he promoted as Major. He got Military Cross (second highest award of British Army) during the Second World War. He stayed at Calcutta as ADC of the Commander-in-Chief. After the partition of India, he sent to Kohat N.W.F.P. In 1948 Major sahib also fought on the Kashmir Front. Major General Akbar was Brigade Commander and Major Ishaq was Brigade Major in this War. In 1951 Rawalpindi Conspiracy Case was formed against the anti Imperialist Army officer. He was arrested in this case with other army officer and communist leaders like Sajjad Zaheer etc. He was sent to jail for four years. He spent this imprisonment in Lahore, Hyderabad, and Montgomery Jails.
In 1955, he did his LLB and started his regular political carrier. Communist party was banned. Therefore he joined Awami League. He oppose the policy of Hussain Shaeed Soharwardi on the issue of Suez Canal and after that formed National Awami Party (NAP) with Molana Bhashani. He was elected General Secretary of the NAP. In 1958 he was arrested by Ayub regime. This time allegation was that he is a communist. He sent to six month in Shahi Qilla tarcher cell. In 1960, he was arrested again. This time he and Hassan Nassar were in Shahi Qillah Lahore. When International Communist movement distributed among different camp on the issue of revisionism. Major Ishaq fight against revisionist elements and defended Marxism Leninism. During this time NAP was splited into different groups. Then Major Ishaq founded Mazdoor Kissan Party with his comrades like Afzal Banbash, Eric Cyprian, Sher Ali Bacha, Ghulam Nabi Kalu, Syed Sibtul Hassan Zegham, Bhahar sahib etc. He was elected president of MKP in its Multan session in 1971. Afterward he was elected central president of MKP in its first Congress at Sher Garh.
Major Ishaq was arrested again in Yahya’s Marshal Law. Major Sahib spent several years in jails during Bhutto and Zia regimes. During Zia regime he was arrested and sent to BahawalPur Jail. In Bahawalpur jail he had to suffer brain hemorage. The Jail authorities did not care his treatment in time and properly. On 2 April 1982 the Great Marxwadi had gone and gone for ever due to jail brain ham rage attack. The death of Major Ishaq was agreat loss of the communist movement in Pakistan. The Vacuum of leadership created which is not filled yet. This is the dilemma of the Left movement of Pakistan. It will be very strange all of you that throughout the life of Major Sahib, he could not get his passport due to ban by Government of Pakistan.