OnePakistan
Published Date: May 27, 2014
Collective efforts needed to fight extremism
Pakistan needs collective efforts and shared response from Pakistani
media, civilian society, political parties and security forces to combat
radicalism and extremism.
This was stated by the speakers at a joint seminar conducted by
Sustainable Development Policy Institute (SDPI), Minority Rights Group
(MRG) & Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherland here on
Monday.
The speakers discussed the radicalism in Pakistan and its possible solutions to prevent this plague from further spreading.
In his welcome address, Dr. Abid Qayium Suleri, Executive Director,
SDPI lamented the killing of lawyer Rashid Rehman in Multan, which is an
example of vacuum of tolerance and patience in our society.
While chairing the session, Mehmood Bashir Virk, Chairman, Standing
Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights suggested that media and
civil society should join hands together and launch a vigorous campaign
against violence and also publish human interest stories about the
victims of indiscriminate terrorist violence.
Prof Ibrahim from Jamaat-e-Islami proposed that the vital need for a
grand strategy for covering terrorism and extremism is based on
inculcating justice in society. Unfortunately, we dont have an
independent state, which is under debt of IMF and World Bank.
Ejaz Haider, Senior Analyst and Expert on National Security Affairs
highlighted that the real problem is not terrorism, it is extremism and
unfortunately,we are full of religion, but devoid of culture.He also
talked about the monopoly of violence. Monopoly of violence does not
mean that the state should have the power to do anything with the masses
but it states that this power should be legitimized through specific
rules and laws he added.
Mussarat Ahmed Zeb, MNA, PakistanTehreek-e-Insaf opined that
terrorism is a tree and radicalization provides a balanced food to grow
the tree properly. Youth can be the best way to bring peace in world by
nurturing their minds through providing them soul energizing activities.
Source: http://pakistan.onepakistan.com.pk/news/city/islamabad/305565-collective-efforts-needed-to-fight-extremism.html