PILDAT dialogue explores ways to promote interfaith harmony in Pakistan

The Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency's (PILDAT) policy dialogue on the topic of “National Interfaith Harmony Policy” was organized in Karachi on Friday as part of the sixth session of the 18th Youth Parliament.

The 18th Youth Parliament Pakistan convened its sixth session in Karachi bringing together 162 young members, attending in-person and virtually from across Pakistan, including Azad Jammu & Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and overseas Pakistanis.

The session began with a policy dialogue on interfaith harmony policy, featuring distinguished speakers such as Anthony Naveed, Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly, Mahesh Kumar Hasija, MPA, MQM-P, Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro, MNA, PPP, and Mr. Asad Iqbal Butt, Chairman, Human Rights Commission of Pakistan.

During the discussion, the Sindh Assembly deputy speaker acknowledged that challenges exist and will persist in the arena of interfaith harmony, but he emphasised that effective policy implementation is crucial.

He supported the formation of a National Minority Commission but criticised past commissions, stating that they had only 40 per cent minority representation. He also took exception to the term minority, and instead suggested the use of a term like faith-based communities. Mahesh Kumar Hasija, MPA, MQM-P, stressed the need for a curriculum revision, as existing educational texts often promote discrimination on religious grounds.

He noted that minority communities are often targeted in these books, painted as the “others” and as “threats”. He reiterated the need for greater public awareness of laws protecting minorities, ensuring that such knowledge is not limited to parliamentarians alone.

Dr. Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro provided a foundational understanding of interfaith harmony, defining it as peaceful coexistence. She criticised the role of media in exacerbating discrimination and urged efforts to address these issues both individually and collectively. Additionally, she pointed out the ongoing challenges to freedom of speech in Pakistan, highlighting the need for structural reforms.

Asad Iqbal Butt referenced Article 1 of the Universal Declaration of Human Rights (UDHR), which states that all individuals are equal and should be treated as such by the state. He addressed the issue of forced conversions and stressed the need for self-reflection as a society.

The second highlight of the day was a conversation with political scholar Ghazi Salahuddin, who spoke on promoting cultural and intellectual tolerance among youth as a means of preventing violent extremism in Pakistan. He emphasized the importance of broadening youth perspectives by linking them with global movements and leveraging literature to foster cross-cultural dialogue and understanding.

Funded by the European Union (EU), led by NACTA (National Counter Terrorism Authority) and executed by UNODC (United Nations Office on Drugs and Crimes) with its partner civil society organization PILDAT, youth parliament aims at fostering community resilience and developing sustainable networks

The dialogue concluded with an engaging question and answer session, where participants of the session raised critical questions and explored potential solutions to the challenges facing minority communities.