Democracy, free trade key to peace in South Asia

PESHAWAR: Speakers at a one-day seminar said on Tuesday that stability of the democratic system and free trade can promote peace and cooperation in the region.

They were speaking at a one-day seminar on “Peace in Pakistan and South Asia: Desirable and Possible.” The seminar was arranged by the Institute of Peace and Conflict Studies, University of Peshawar.

Director of the institute Prof Dr Syed Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi, Prof Dr Shah Jehan of Iqra University, Sadia Mehboob, Dean Faculty of Social Sciences Dr Jauhar Ali and others spoke on the occasion.

Dr Hussain Shaheed Soherwordi said that democracy, peace and free trade were the guarantees of peace and cooperation. With the rise of middle class commercially and politically, the war would come to an end,” he said, adding, “It has been witnessed that the democracies in the world-US, Britain, and France- have resorted to the use of force in achieving their national objectives.” Dr Shah Jehan gave a detailed view of climate refugees.

Sadia Mahboob, a recently returned Fulbright fellow, spoke about the war economy. She said that the war economy pumps more funds into the conflicts for their own profits. “Thus sustainable peace is far from reality. Economics diminishes its importance and contributes to prolonging of a conflict,” she remarked.

The solution of the problem prevailing around South Asia is development and trade, which include health and education, she maintained. Prof Dr Johar Ali highlighted peace and conflict resolution between Pakistan and neighbouring countries, especially Afghanistan.

He said that resources were the bone of contention but they may be turned into a reason for peace. “Economic imbalance always causes unrest in every society,” he said. He claimed that economic integration on the pattern of the European Union is the ultimate solution to the problem in South Asia.