Peace in Balochistan linked to promoting education: speakers

QUETTA: Durable peace is not possible in Balochistan without promoting education in the province, said educationalists, scholars and members of civil society here on Thursday.

Addressing a one-day workshop at the Sardar Bahadur Khan Women University, the speakers said continuity of democracy ensures resolution of issues being confronted by the country. They stressed collective role of government, civil society, teachers, and students for achieving lasting peace.

The workshop titled “Durable Peace Impossible without Promoting Education,” was organised in collaboration with the Higher Education Commission (HEC), Balochistan.Former minister for education Ms Zubaida Jalal, Member Provincial Assembly Ms Yasmin Lehri, Brigadier (retd) Abdul Razaq Baloch, senior journalist Shahzada Zulfikar, Professor Farkhanda, Arbab Tahir, Advocate, and Mir Saadat Baloch spoke.

The law and order situation was improving fast due to the National Action Plan in the country, they said adding that elected representatives should play their role to resolve problems of the province through effective legislation as parliament was the supreme institution.

They said the people of Balochistan could play an effective role in progress of their province as they were patriots. They can play an effective role if given rights and importance.The completion of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC) would help strengthening Balochistan economically but will make Pakistan an Asian tiger, they said adding that the joint efforts of civil and military leadership for eliminating terrorism were yielding positive results. They said people of all segments of society including parliamentarians, teachers and students would have to play their role in upholding human rights in the country.

They said human rights issues could be resolved effectively by collective efforts of parliamentarians. They urged measures for ensuring standard education by overcoming the dearth of teachers in Balochistan. The shortage of science teachers in Balochistan was a serious issue in the province.Each member of society must play his role for making things better in the province, they said adding that media could play a vital role in this regard. The government could benefit talent of the youth by  providing them respectable jobs.