Peace body lauded for efforts against hate speech

LAHORE

Punjab Youth Parliamentary Caucus (PYPC) Chairperson MPA Asif Mehmood hoped that he and other newly elected office-bearers of the PYPC would continue consolidating democracy through input of young parliamentarians in Punjab.

Punjab Assembly Peace Committee (PAPC) held a press conference in Lahore Press Club to brief the participants on the PAPC work for peace-building within the Punjab Assembly. It was appreciated that the Peace Committee members had raised seven relevant questions and resolutions in the assembly for speedy initiatives on hate-speech, curriculum and training of officials on hate-speech material. The panel consisted of the newly-elected office-bearers of PYPC which runs the Peace Committee.

On the occasion, the establishment and consequent work of the Punjab Assembly Peace Committee (PAPC) was hailed as a big step for the MPAs working on peace-building and in support of National Action Plan (NAP) in Punjab.

Patron of the PYPC/PAPC and Parliamentary Secretary of Youth Affairs in Punjab Assembly MPA Chaudhry Sarfraz Afzal said that support of elected-representatives and parliamentarians was crucial to support implementation of the NAP. He appreciated that the PAPC had organsed briefing and orientation sessions on NAP for MPAs and assisted them in presenting questions and resolutions in the assembly sessions. The government is vigilant to curb hate-speech material and other forms of extremism and is implementing laws enacted to curb the menace of extremism and terrorism. The MPAs fully support this and are part of the speedy and thorough campaign to eradicate extremism and terrorism in Punjab, he said.

PYPC Chairperson MPA Asif Mehmood said that parliamentarians’ main task was to legislate laws and oversight of the executive. For that they need technical and thematic support. MPA Rana Abdul Manan, vice-chairperson of the PYPC, said, "Our law enforcement forces are valiantly fighting against terrorism. It is high time that young parliamentarians supported the ongoing efforts to root out much deeper issues of extremism in society and promoted tolerance.”

MPA Hina Pervez Butt, who has been elected as general secretary of the Youth Caucus, said that Pakistan was entering into its prosperous and peaceful phase ahead. MPA Saadia Sohail Rana said that young MPAs had brought erstwhile ignored issues on floor of the Punjab Assembly. MPAs Ramesh Singh, Mary Gill and Executive Director of Bargad Ms Sabiha Shaheen also spoke at the press conference. MPA Mary Gill thanked MPAs and other participants on behalf of the Christian community

Engineering: A consultative regional workshop of Pakistan Engineering Council (PEC) on review of accreditation policies and procedures was held at University of Engineering and Technology (UET) here on Friday. 

According to a press release, PEC Chairman Engr Javeed Saleem Qureshi said measures were being taken to ensure quality of engineering education in the country by adopting all possible attributes of international standards.