Call to remove hate lessons from curricula

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a seminar here on Saturday stressed the need to remove all hate material from curricula to create harmony among different sections of society for a peaceful Pakistan.

They said this while addressing a seminar titled “Peace Conference”, jointly organised by South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK), Bacha Khan Trust Educational Foundation (BKTEF) and National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP).

Those who spoke on the occasion included Sardar Charan Jeet Singh, Haroon Sarab Diyal from the Hindu community, Cecil Chaudhry, Executive Director of the NCJP, Father John William, Regional Director, NCJP, Augustin Jacob, Barrister Hashim Raza, Sikander Zaman from SAP-PK, Qamar Naseem of Blue Veins, Managing Director Khadim Hussain of BKTEF, Awami National Party leaders Bushra Gohar,  ANP Member Provincial Assembly Sardar Hussain Babak and Kashif Aslam, the programme manager of the NCJP.

Haroon Sarab Diyal said that the Hindus did not migrate at the time of partition and preferred to live in Pakistan. “But still we are considered Indians,” he said adding, this thinking was due to the curriculum, which he said was based on hate against non-Muslim Pakistanis.

Sardar Charan Jeet Singh said that minorities were being ignored on every platform. He believed that there were some elements, who wanted to create disturbance among Muslims and non-Muslims.

Qamar Naseem suggested that issue of hate material be raised at the Saarc level because such hate speeches and lessons are also taught to students against Muslims and Pakistan in India. He said the Saarc platform is the only way to resolve the matter.

Sardar Hussain Babak said the minorities would continue to feel sense of insecurity unless and until hate lessons are removed from curriculum.Hashim Raza, Dr Khadim Hussain, Bushra Gohar, Kashif Aslam, Father John William, Cecil Shane Chaudhry and other speakers also shared their views about peace and minorities’ rights.