The Status of Left-Wing Politics in Pakistan after the Dissolution of the Soviet Union

Abstract

The disintegration of the Soviet Union had a detrimental impact on Pakistan’s already fragmented and feeble Left politics. The retreat of communism in Moscow disappointed Leftists in Pakistan. Faced with disillusionment and frustration, prominent figures in Pakistan’s Left politics responded to the anti-communist measurements in Eastern Europe and the Soviet Union during late 1980s in various ways. Some Leftists embraced other social and political ideologies, others went to the field of NGOs, while some remained steadfast in their commitment to the Marxist ideology. Soon after the disintegration, the Leftist political groups in Pakistan attempted to form a broader alliance but this experiment proved unsuccessful. Throughout the first decade of the twenty-first century, these fragmented Left groups struggled to find cohesion. However, in the second decade of twenty-first century, there was a resurgence and a renewed sense of unity within the Left can be noted. Even after some success, the Left is unable to assert it as a political alternat in a time when there is a political vacuum and the mainstream parties failed in addressing the issues of the masses. Left is facing some serious internal and external challenges. Without overcoming these challenges, it can be safely assumed that the Left would be unable to play prominent role in the second half of 2020 too.

Key Words: Left Politics, Pakistan, Disintegration of Soviet Union, Political Alliance.