‘Youth, academia role vital in setting up peaceful and tolerant society’

FAISALABAD: Speakers at two separate seminars here underlined the need for promoting peace, tolerance and interfaith harmony among people of various religions and sects to build an inclusive society in Pakistan.

The first seminar titled ‘Together, we are for Pakistan’ was jointly organized by Paigham-e-Pakistan, Pakistan Peace Collective – a project of Ministry of Information and Broadcasting – and Government College Women University, Faisalabad, on Monday. Another seminar on the same subject was held at the University of Agriculture, Faisalabad, on Tuesday.

The main objective of both the events was to sensitize the youth and academia about their desired role in promotion of peace, tolerance, respect to other faiths and beliefs in the light of Paigham-e-Pakistan narrative. A large number of students, academicians, religious scholars and civil society members participated in the seminars.

Addressing the events, Asma Aziz from the GCWU Faisalabad highlighted the importance of Paigham-e-Pakistan narrative in community building and promotion of peace.

Pakistan Peace Collective Community Outreach Program Manager Khurram Shahzad shared the details and objectives of district-level engagement program. He stressed the need to promote better understanding among various communities at all levels to promote interfaith harmony, tolerance and resilience in order to achieve the common goal of peaceful co-existence and expanded cooperation in addressing the challenges.

While addressing the audience, Prof Dr Humayun Abbas Shams emphasized that Paigham-e-Pakistan is a national narrative against the menace of terrorism and extremism. It is necessary that the youth and academia play their role in carrying this narrative forward within their communities and area of influence, he stressed.

While talking about Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan narrative, Ayesha Mubashar said the role of women is vital to developing a peaceful and a tolerant society. She was of the view that only a tolerant society based on the principles of interfaith harmony can ensure social inclusion by providing all citizens equal opportunities to grow irrespective of their religion or faith, adding that interfaith harmony is the way forward towards peace and prosperity in the society in line with the spirit of Dukhtran-e-Pakistan initiative of the government of Pakistan.

The speakers said it is through peaceful co-existence and mutual respect that sustainable development and true peace can be achieved. They opined that eradicating hatred from society necessitates promotion of positive thinking.