History of South Asian Peoples Forum

In November 2007, progressive activists and representatives from a number of British-based progressive South Asian organisations organised a meeting in Bradford to unite progressive forces to create a broad non-sectarian organisation to project an enlightened and progressive image of South Asia. They agreed to from a Progressive Democratic Forum of South Asians. An organising committee was established, consisting of Prof. Nazir Tabassum, former Lord Mayor Bradford Mohammad Ajeeb, Pervez Fateh, Khalid Saeed Qureshi, former Lord Mayor Councillor Ghazanfer Khaliq, Zafar Tanveer, Khawaja Waheed, Shah Mohammad Khokhar, A.D. Anjum, Azhar Khan, Sarwan Singh, Fazal Mahmood, Sardar Abdul Rehman, Asif Naseem Rathor and Comrade Mushtaq Hussain. They agreed on a draft Aims and Objectives documemnt and gave responsibility Pervez Fate, Prof. Nazir Tabassum and Khalid Saeed Qureshi to talk with other progressive groups and organisations from South Asian background.

Discussion with various organisations was continued when a prominent South Asian progressive leader, Sitaram Yechury Secretary International Affairs and the Parliamentary leader of Communist Party of India (Marxist) visited UK to address the annual conference of Indian Workers Association UK. Representatives from Progressive Democratic Forum UK, National Workers Party Pakistan UK, Association of Indian Communist (Marxist) and Indian Workers Association UK met Comrade Sitaram Yechury in London on 15 February 2008 to discuss socio-political situation in South Asian particularly in the India, and Pakistan. After long discussion to unite progressive of South Asian origin in the UK, Comrade Yechury suggested to change the name as South Asian Peoples Forum. All agreed to adopt draft Aims and Objectives of Progressive Democratic Forum. It was also suggested and agreed that Pakistan based activists to play leading role in the Forum.

Since its formation, a number of activities have been organised to bring together anti-imperialist and progressive individuals and organisations to work on common agenda.

Currently the Forum has a loose organisational structure and has presence in Birmingham, Bradford, Glasgow, Leeds, London, Manchester, Leicester, Southampton, Newcastle, Oxford and some other British cities. The SAPF-UK drive main supports from Indian and Pakistani progressives. A more defined structure has been discussed to be implemented during 2012-2013. The main emphasis will be to develop an active collective leadership uniting around the core of objectives of the organisation.