Sarmad Shabaz – Cohort III – CAP

Jun 4, 2020 @ 19:51

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SYMPOSIUM ON

PITCHING THE IDEA OF SDGS: ROLE OF YOUTH IN SDGS TO TACKLE EXTREMISM

BRIDGE TO UTOPIA

A SYMPOSIUM ON INTERFAITH HARMONY & PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE

OFFICIAL REPORT BY SDGS YOUTH SQUAD FOR PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN

BACKGROUND

IN A WORLD OF INCREASING POLITICAL AND ECONOMIC DISSONANCE, PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE AMONG PRACTITIONERS OF VARIOUS RELIGIOUS BELIEFS CAN PROVE TO BE THE WAY FORWARD FOR PEACE AND PROSPERITY. STRENGTHENING INTERFAITH HARMONY AND RELIGIOUS DIVERSITY CAN BE INSTRUMENTAL IN THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESS OF PAKISTAN. UNFORTUNATELY, DUE TO THE BAGGAGE OF COMMUNALISM, TRACED BACK TO 1947 WHEN INDIA AND PAKISTAN WON THEIR RESPECTIVE FREEDOMS FROM THE BRITISH, THERE IS A DIRE NEED TO SPREAD THE MESSAGE OF ACCEPTANCE AND SHARING, ESPECIALLY AMONG THE HINDUS, CHRISTIANS, MUSLIMS & OTHER RELIGIOUS MINORITIES. THIS IS A MUST FOR A PEACEFUL AND DEVELOPED PAKISTAN WHERE THERE IS AN INTERFAITH HARMONY AMONG VARIOUS RELIGIOUS ENTITIES AND SECTS, WHICH ARE PRESENTLY INHARMONIOUS DUE TO UNHEALED WOUNDS OF THE PARTITION AND OTHER FACTORS, BOTH EXTERNAL AND INTERNAL.

TOLERANCE DOES NOT ONLY MAKE PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE POSSIBLE BUT ALSO CHANGES WAY OF THINKING FOR PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. ANOTHER ADVANTAGE IS THAT BEING OPEN TO OTHER WAYS OF THINKING CAN HELP WITH PERSONAL DEVELOPMENT. WHEN YOU KNOW MORE ABOUT DIFFERENT THINKING AND IDEAS FROM AROUND THE WORLD, IT WILL HELP YOU TO UNDERSTAND THE WORLD BETTER. TOLERANCE IS THE BASE CONCEPT OF THE INTERFAITH HARMONY, PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE & UNITY AMONG A NATION. INTERFAITH HARMONY EMBODIES THE NOTION OF LIVE AND LET LIVE.

SDGS YOUTH SQUAD FOR PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN IS A NATIONAL YOUTH EMPOWERMENT

FORUM, INITIATED BY YOUNG LEADERS OF TOMORROW CURRENTLY STUDYING IN

DIFFERENT UNIVERSITIES & COLLEGES. THE MAIN AIM OF THE SDGS-YSPP IS LOCALIZATION, CAMPAIGNING & ADVOCACY OF UNITED NATION’S 2030 AGENDA OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT. THE YOUTH-LED ORGANIZATION HAS MARKED MANY SUCCESSFUL TRAINING, WORKSHOPS, SEMINARS, CONFERENCES, WELFARE PROJECTS & OTHER YOUTHFUL ACTIVITIES BY ENGAGING THE POTENTIAL OF YOUNG PEOPLE IN THE RIGHT DIRECTION, WHICH IS IN BUILDING A PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN.

FOR MAKING A TOLERANT, PEACEFUL & A COMMUNITY THAT ACCEPTS EVERYONE, SDGS YSPP HAS TAKEN AN INITIATIVE TO ORGANIZE AN ACTIVITY-BASED, SELF-SUSTAINED

SYMPOSIUM. THE SYMPOSIUMS AIM AT ENCOURAGING YOUTH TO BOOST THE CONCEPT OF A PEACEFUL, TOLERANT & ACCEPTABLE SOCIETY BY USING THE TECHNIQUES OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS, EMPOWERING YOUNG STUDENTS & PROFESSIONALS

TO INVESTIGATE AND ELIMINATE THE CHALLENGES TO INTER-FAITH HARMONY IN

PAKISTAN.

ADDING TO THIS, THE EVENT IS DIRECTED IN THE SUPPORT & UPKEEP OF THE UNSCR 2250 (2015) FIVE KEY PILLARS FOR ACTION: PARTICIPATION, PROTECTION, PREVENTION, PARTNERSHIPS AND DISENGAGEMENT AND REINTEGRATION.

PREPARATIONS

A HUGE AMOUNT OF HARD WORK AND DEDICATION WAS REQUIRED IN MAKING THIS EVENT

SUCCESSFUL YET FRUITFUL. SDGS-YSPP CORE COMMITTEE MEMBERS ALONG WITH THE YOUTH ADVOCATES AND AMBASSADORS OF YSPP SHOWED A GREAT TEAMWORK BY PLAYING THEIR PARTS ACTIVELY THROUGHOUT THE EVENT.

THE EVENT WAS SCHEDULED TO START AT 11:00 PM IN THE PAKISTAN INSTITUTE FOR PARLIAMENTARY SERVICES-PIPS, ISLAMABAD ON 12^TH OF FEBRUARY, 2020.

REGISTRATION AND PARTICIPATION

THE EVENT COMPRISED OF THE PARTICIPATION OF DIVERSE GROUPS OF PEOPLE. IN WHICH HUGE PARTICIPATION OF YOUTH AND YOUNG LEADERS WERE COUNTED. DIFFERENT RELIGIOUS SCHOLARS AND MEMBERS OF GOVERNMENT INSTITUTE ALSO PARTICIPATED. MEDIA TEAM WAS ALSO PRESENT TO COVER THE EVENT.

THE OVERALL MANAGEMENT OF THE EVENT WAS HANDLED BY THE WHOLE MANAGEMENT TEAM OF SDGS- YSPP.

THE REGISTRATION WAS HEADED BY MS. DUA GILLANI AND MS. RIDA E ZEHRA, ALONG WITH HER TEAM MEMBERS

MR. NAVEED QAMAR
MS. MISHA HAMEED

PHOTOGRAPHY AND MEDIA

PHOTOGRAPHY AND MEDIA WAS HEADED BY MR. HAFIZ SYED SAAD BIN SHOAIB. HE COVERED THE WHOLE EVENT ALONG WITH HIS TREMENDOUS TEAM. THEY COVERED HALL PHOTOGRAPHY, GUEST PHOTOGRAPHY AND LIVE MEDIA COVERAGE. THE TEAM INCLUDED:

MS. ZAINAB NAJAM
MS. HADIA AYUB

SYMPOSIUM HALL

THE SYMPOSIUM HALL CHOSEN FOR THE EVENT WAS PERFECT TO ACCOMMODATE ALL THE GUESTS. THE STAGE HAD SPECIFIC SEATS FOR THE SPEAKERS AND THE GUESTS WERE PROVIDED WITH A FILE CONTAINING THE PROGRAMME AGENDA, A NOTEPAD AND A PEN EACH FOR BETTER OUTCOME OF THE DISCUSSIONS.

THE ORGANIZERS FORMALLY WELCOMED ALL GUESTS INCLUDING DIPLOMATS, MEDIA PEOPLE, JOURNALISTS AND INTELLECTUALS FROM VARIOUS ORGANIZATIONS.

NOTES KEEPING

TO KEEP THE NOTES OF EVENT MS. KHUSHBAKHT AYESHA AND MS. AMNA MUNAWAR WITH

HER TEAM KEPT THE NOTES OF EACH SPEAKER AND COVERED WHOLE EVENT. THEIR TEAM INCLUDED

MS. AREEJ TAHIR
MS. FIZZA NASIR
MS. HAFSA KHALID
MS MIDHA MAHRUKH
MS. MISHA HAMEED

COMMENCEMNET

THE EVENT WAS STARTED AT SHARP 11 O CLOCK. IT WAS HOSTED BY MR. SHAHMEER KHAN AND MS. ZARISH.

THE SYMPOSIUM STARTED WITH QUAID’S QUOTE

“YOU ARE FREE TO GO TO YOUR TEMPLES, YOU ARE FREE TO GO TO YOUR MOSQUES OR TO ANY OTHER PLACE OF WORSHIP IN THIS STATE OF PAKISTAN. YOU MAY BELONG TO ANY RELIGION, CASTE OR CREED- THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS OF STATE.” THIS BROUGHT A CONCEPT IN PEOPLES’ MIND THAT WE ARE GOING TO START A DISCUSSION ON CHALLENGES OF INTERFAITH HARMONY AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE.

WELCOMING NOTE WAS PRESENTED BY EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR OF SDGS. YSPP, MR. SARMAD SHAHBAZ BHUTTA WHO FIRSTLY THANKED THE GATHERING FOR THEIR ARRIVAL AND THEN POINTED THAT YOUTHS’ PERSPECTIVE ON INTERFAITH HARMONY AND THE WAYS TO DEAL WITH EXTREMISM ARE THE MAJOR ISSUES THAT WE ARE GOING TO DISCUSS IN THIS EVENT. HE INTRODUCED THE PANELISTS AND ALSO BRIEFED ABOUT THE AGENDA OF THE SYMPOSIUM.

THE EXECUTIVE ASSISTANT OF SDGS. YSPP, MS. SEEMAB ZAFAR UTTERED ABOUT YOUTH SQUAD PROGRESSIVE PAKISTAN. ITS MAJOR GOALS, OBJECTIVES, MISSIONS AND HOW YSPP IS TRYING TO MOBILIZE YOUTH ON SDG.

ACADEMIA IS A BUILDING BLOCK FOR EVERY GENERATION FOR CREATING A PEACEFUL SOCIETY. TO ENLIGHTEN THE IMPORTANCE OF ACADEMIA, FIRST PANEL DISCUSSION WAS HELD OVER THIS TOPIC.

THE 1^ST PANELIST WAS DR, UMBREEN ARIF, MINISTRY OF EDUCATION, PAKISTAN.
THE 2^ND PANELIST WAS MR. AHSAN MALIK, COMSATS, ISLAMABAD.  THE 3^RD PANELIST WAS MR. DANISH LATIF, NUST, ISLAMABAD.

THE FIRST PANEL DISCUSSION WAS STARTED AT 11: 25 AM AND THE 1^ST QUESTION ASKED BY THE MODERATOR, MS. DUA GILLANI TO DR. UMBREEN ARIF WAS

Q. TEACHERS PREJUDICED TOWARDS CERTAIN ETHNICITIES OR RELIGIONS, USING FAVORITISM, CAN HAVE A HUGE IMPACT ON THE STUDENTS, HOW CAN THAT PROBLEM BE CATERED? SHE REPLIED BY CLEARING THE TEACHERS’ ROLE ON MAKING THE STUDENTS TOLERANT. SHE SAID THAT WE HAVE BECOME AN INTOLERANT SOCIETY AND ARE NOT READY TO LISTEN OTHERS’ OPINIONS. WE HAVE MOVED AWAY FROM DEBATING OVER CERTAIN ISSUES. THE BLAME ALSO GOES TO RIGIDITY OF TEXTBOOKS AND CURRICULUM, AS THE LAST CURRICULUM WAS MADE IN 2006 AND WE HAVE NOT REVISED IT SINCE LAST 14 YEARS.

ANOTHER SOLUTION TO CATER THIS ISSUE IS TEACHERS’ TRAINING. THE TEACHERS MUST KNOW HOW TO DELIVER THE TEXT OF A BOOK. THE WORDS OF A TEACHER CAN MAKE A TOLERANT AND FLEXIBLE TEXT; RIGID AND VICE VERSA. AT THE END, SHE ALSO ENCOURAGED THE AMBASSADORS FOR IMPROVING TOLERANCE AND FLEXIBILITY IN PAKISTAN BECAUSE THIS WILL ALSO GUIDE THE TEACHERS, THE 2^ND QUESTION ASKED TO MR. AHSAN MALIK WAS

Q. WHAT’S YOUR STANCE ON THE NOTION THAT ALL STUDENTS MUST BE GIVEN A

CHOICE TO STUDY ANY RELIGION THEY WANT, AT BACHELOR’S LEVEL, AS AN ELECTIVE?

HE PINPOINTED THE CONCEPT THAT EVERY RELIGION DO COMPELS AN OPEN ENQUIRY AND OPEN QUESTION. HE ADDED HIS EXPERIENCE THAT HE HAS SEEN THE PEOPLE WHO WENT THROUGH THE PATH OF ENQUIRY TO RELIGIONS, AND BECOME MORE PASSIONATE, MORE DEDICATED AND MORE INCLUSIVE PERSON TOWARDS HIS GREATER OBJECTIVE. SO, THE CHOICE TO STUDY ANY RELIGION OR WHATEVER THEY WANT TO STUDY, THE WAY THEY WANT TO LEARN ABOUT CREEDS, AS THIS IS GOING TO STAY THERE FOREVER AND NOBODY IS COMPELLING YOU TO LEARN ABOUT IT.

THE 3^RD QUESTION ASKED TO MR. DANISH LATIF WAS

Q. DO YOU THINK RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM PLAYS A PART IN HONOR KILLINGS, AND IF SO, HOW TO MAKE SURE THE STUDENTS DON’T FOSTER SUCH EXTREME VIEWS AS WELL?

HE STARTED WITH THE WORDS THAT IN PAKISTAN, THERE IS A BELIEF THAT CERTAIN THINGS HAVE TO BE AND CERTAIN THINGS HAVE NOT TO BE. HE SAID THAT TALKING ABOUT RELIGION LEADS TO SOME FACETS OF EXTREMISM. THERE IS A LOT OF MISCONCEPTIONS ABOUT RELIGIONS WHICH LEAD TO EXTREMITY WHICH THEN TRANSLATES INTO ACTIVITIES SUCH AS HONOR KILLING. TO REITERATE, WE CAN SAY THAT YES, UNFORTUNATELY EXTREMISM DOES TRANSLATE INTO HONOR KILLING.

HE ADDED THAT WE OFTEN CONFUSE CONCEPTS OF RELIGION AND CULTURE. THE CULTURAL ACTIVITIES SUCH AS FEMALE EMBODYING THE HONOR OF A MAN AND CONCEPT OF PARDA ETC WERE ALREADY THERE IN SUBCONTINENT EVEN BEFORE ISLAM AND LATER ON, WERE GIVEN COLORS BY ISLAM. SO, THE FIRST STEP SHOULD BE TO SEPARATE RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM FROM CULTURAL EXTREMISM.

IN A NUTSHELL, TO REDUCE EXTREMISM, IT IS IMPORTANT TO IDENTIFY THE LINK BETWEEN RELIGION AND EXTREMISM. ONCE YOU IDENTIFY IT, UNDOING IT WILL BE EASY.

MR. AHSAN MALIK’S COMMENT:

NO RELIGION LEADS TO HONOR KILLING. IT IS JUST THE PEOPLE WHO DO THIS. IT HAS LESS TO DO WITH RELIGION AND MORE WITH CULTURAL NORMS.

ANOTHER QUESTION ASKED TO MR. DANISH LATIF WAS

Q. HOW CAN WE PROMOTE A HIGHER TOLERANCE IN YOUTH?

HE EXPLAINED THIS BY SAYING THAT THE 1^ST THING IS LITERACY OF TEACHERS AND PEOPLE HAVING KNOWLEDGE ABOUT RELIGION WILL BETTER UNDERSTAND THE CONCEPT AND NOTIONS TO ACCEPT OR REJECT SOMETHING. IF YIU ARE GOING TO REJECT SOMETHING, YOU MUST HAVE PROPER KNOWLEDGE OF IT. WE NEED YOUNG PEOPLE TO PROMOTE THIS SO THAT IT MIGHT NOT BE HIJACKED BY EXTREMISM.

THE FIRST SESSION WAS ENDED BY THE HANDING OVER THE SOUVENIRS TO THE RESPECTABLE GUESTS. THE FIRST SESSION WAS VERY INFORMATIVE ALONG WITH PANEL DISCUSSION.

LECTURE SERIES

FIRST LECTURE WAS GIVEN BY MR. SYED ALI HAMEED WHO IS THE EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR

OF SHAOOR FOUNDATION FOR EDUCATION AND AWARENESS. HE SPOKE ON THE TOPIC DE RADICALIZATION: NEGATING FANATICISM AND ENCOURAGING HUMANISM IN ALL ASPECTS. HE STARTED HIS LECTURE TELLING ABOUT PEACE AND CONFLICT, THEIR MAIN CAUSES AND

HOW WE CAN PREVENT THEM. HE TOLD ABOUT ENCOUNTERING PEACE AND THEIR OBJECTIVES. FURTHERMORE, HE EXPLAINED ABOUT EXTREMISM, THEIR PHENOMENON, STEM AND WHAT ARE THE POSSIBILITIES TO BRING PEACE. IN EXTREMISM HE EXPLAINED TWO TERMS; PHILOSOPHY AND HISTORY.

PHILOSOPHY ABOUT RELIGION AND SOCIETY, HISTORY ABOUT CIVILIZATION. IF THESE TWO TERMS BECOME INTOLERANT, IT LEADS TO DISASTERS. MOST OF THE DISTORTION TAKES PLACE DUE TO ANARCHISM BETWEEN THEM. HE FURTHER EXPLAINED THAT NO RELIGION IS AGAINST PEACE. RELIGION INVOLVES EXTREMISM WHICH MEANS THAT WE CAN’T SEPARATE EXTREMISM FROM RELIGION. THE CONCEPT OF THEOLOGY WAS GIVEN. HE FOCUSED ON CRITICAL THINKING EXPLAINING ITS IMPORTANCE AND HOW WE CAN USE

THEM. HE BELIEVED THAT A MAN SHOULD THINK ABOUT HIMSELF. WE SHOULD FOCUS ON THE IMPORTANCE TO CONTEMPLATE WHO WE ARE AND OUR CONNECTION WITH OURSELVES. START SPENDING YOUR TIME WITH YOURSELF. AFTER THAT HE PRESENTED THE IDEA OF MEDITATION THAT INCLUDES SKILLS, METHODOLOGY, SCIENCE AND ARTS. HE ALSO PERFORMED AN ACTIVITY NAMING “GUIDED MEDITATION” IN WHICH THE AUDIENCE

WAS FULLY ENGAGED. LASTLY HE GAVE THE CONCEPT OF POSITIVITY, ITS IMPORTANCE, EMPHASIZING TO LEARN AND SHARE POSITIVITY. IN THE END THERE WAS A QUESTION AND ANSWER SESSION WITH THE AUDIENCE.

2ND LECTURE WAS CARRIED OUT BY THE DR. MUNAZZA YAQOOB, SHE IS THE FOUNDER,

CRITICAL THINKING THINK TANK, IIUI SAID AT THE EVENT OF “BRIDGE TO UTOPIA” THAT THINKING IS THE JOB OF THE BRAIN AND ITS NOT IN YOUR CONTROL. THERE ARE MANY PROBLEMS IN A SOCIETY I.E. DOMESTIC PROBLEMS ETC WHICH LEAD TO THE OVER THINKING.

ANY ORGAN OF THE BODY WHEN STOPS ITS FUNCTION OR MALFUNCTIONS, WE GIVE IT PROPER NUTRITION AND TREATMENT. SO IN THE SAME WAY IF MIND MALFUNCTIONS WE NEED TO GIVE IT ITS FEED AS MIND ALSO NEEDS NUTRITION IF WE GIVE NO NUTRITION THERE WILL BE NO GROWTH. THERE ARE THEORIES PRESENT FOR THE ORGANIZATION OF MIND I-E MEDITATION OR OTHER EXERCISES.

WE OFTEN IGNORE OUR MIND AND ONLY TAKE CARE OF OUR BODY.

MIND IS REALLY DIFFICULT TO CONTROL BECAUSE IT’S AN ABSTRACT IDENTITY.

WE ONLY LISTEN TO WHAT WE WANT. WE ONLY NOTICE THE VOICE WHICH WE WANT TO HEAR. WHATEVER WE DESIRE OR WISH TO HEAR WE ONLY FOCUS ON THAT SPECIFIC THING. PROCESS OF ATTENTION IS IMPORTANT AND WE GIVE ATTENTION ONLY TO THE THINGS THAT WE ONLY THINK OF AS IMPORTANT.

MOREOVER SHE SAID THAT UTOPIA IS IMAGINARY FAIRY WORLD THE PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE SHE ASKED THAT IS IT UTOPIA WHERE WE LIVE? HOW CAN WE MAKE IT? WHY

INTERFAITH HARMONY AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE DON’T EXIST? REASON INCLUDES INTOLERANCE AND RIGIDITY.

WE DON’T RESPECT AND TOLERATE OTHER’S OPINIONS. WE DON’T RESPECT COLOR, RELIGION, GENDER, AND LANGUAGE. ETC

DISRESPECT FOR THE DIFFERENCE IS CALLED INTOLERANCE.

SOME PEOPLE ARE LIBERAL SOME ARE CONSERVATIVE. PEOPLE BECOME HARMFUL WHEN THEY THINK THAT GROUP IDENTITY IS MORE IMPORTANT THAN HUMAN IDENTITY. SUCH THAT GIVING SUPERIORITY TO A SPECIFIC RELIGIOUS OR ETHNIC GROUP. PEOPLE ALSO BECOME HARMFUL WHEN THEY SEE THE WORLD FROM ONLY THEIR FRAME OF REFERENCE. SUCH THAT THEY ONLY TOLERATE THING WHICH ARE FROM THEIR GROUP. WHEREVER YOU ATTACH YOUR MIND IDEAS GENERATE THERE.

SO CHANGE THE WAY YOU LOOK THE WORLD. CHANGE YOUR FRAME OF REFERENCE. BEAUTY LIES IN THE EYES OF THE HOLDER. BY CHANGING YOUR FRAME OF REFERENCE YOUR THINKING CAN CHANGE.

MOREOVER SHE SAID IN THE END:

“MY FRAME OF REFERENCE IS NOT UNIVERSAL, IT’S NOT THE BEST”

CHANGE FRAME OF REFERENCE BY MEETING OTHER PEOPLE AND BY SHARING THOUGHTS AND VIEWS ETC.

THE SECOND SESSION HAD THE 3^RD LECTURE WITH THE LECTURE SERIES OF MR. SHAMOON HASHMI WHO IS THE JOINT SECRETARY OF NATIONAL ASSEMBLY OF PAKISTAN. MR. SHAMOON HASHMI WITH HIS TREMENDOUS LECTURE ON THE HISTORY WITH AN IMPARTIAL LENS HELD THE AUDIENCE WITH GREAT INTEREST. HIS LECTURE INCLUDED:

SHARED HIS EXPERIENCE IN DIFFERENT CONFERENCES
DEFINED THE HISTORY OF ISLAM
DEFINED THE HISTORY OF PAKISTAN
DISCUSSED ABOUT HOW THE SUBJECTS OF SOCIAL STUDIES ARE NOT UP TO THE LEVEL OF OUR EDUCATION AND THAT STUDENTS AREN’T GIVEN PROPER EDUCATION ABOUT THEM
HASHMI WAS THE MAN OF PRINCIPLES WHO INSTEAD OF FOLLOWING THE EASTERN STANDARDS OF BEING A MAN (WHO TEND TO BE MANLY BY DOMINATING THEIR WOMEN) PREFERRED BEING CALLED AS UNMANLY AND TIMID. HE SAYS THAT “I BELIEVED, INSTEAD OF CONTESTING LIKE A MAN I SHOULD FEEL IT LIKE A MAN”.
HE ALSO EXPRESSED THAT HE HAD A STRONG AFFILIATION WITH URDU LANGUAGE AND WAS THE BIGGEST FOE OF EMERGING ENGLISH CULTURE, FOR HE THOUGHT IT WAS CONTAMINATING PURE URDU, HE IRONICALLY NAMES THIS CONTAMINATED

LANGUAGE AS ‘MINGLISH’

HE BELIEVES THAT BOOKS HAVE MORE POWER THAN MONEY, ‘I DON’T HAVE MONEY

IN MY POCKET BUT HAVE 8000 BOOKS IN MY HOUSE.’ HE HIMSELF IS THE AUTHOR OF A

BOOK, TITLED “STRENGTHENING WOMEN’S POLITICAL PARTICIPATION”.

UNDOUBTEDLY, SHAMOON HASHMI IS ONE OF THE BIGGEST ASSETS OF PAKISTAN AND IS THE INSPIRATION AND ROLE MODEL FOR THE FUTURE GENERATIONS OF THE COUNTRY.

FOURTH LECTURE WAS GIVEN BY DR QIBLA AYAZ THE CHAIRMAN OF COUNCIL OF ISLAMIC IDEOLOGY (CII) SAID AT THE EVENT OF BRIDGE TO UTOPIA THAT THE YOUNG GENERATION HAS A LOT OF KNOWLEDGE BUT THEY ARE MORE PRONE TO CONFUSION. MAIN REASON INCLUDES CHANGE IN LITERATURE. KNOWLEDGE OF EACH TYPE IS EASY TO BE APPROACHED AND BUFFER ZONES ARE ACCRUED.

HE FURTHER DISCUSSED INTER RELIGIOUS RELATIONSHIP AND HOE TO TACKLE THE

PROBLEMS. HOW TO LIVE WITH EACH OTHER IN A BETTER WAY. WE OUGHT TO ACCEPT THE EVENTS AND TRAGEDIES RATHER THAN TO STICK TO THEM AND REGRET. WE SHOULD ACCEPT DIVERSITY. WE SHOULD NOT ONLY TOLERATE DIVERSITY BUT ACCEPT AND ENJOY THE DIVERSITY AS IT IS ALLAH’S BLESSING. ONLY BY DOING THIS A BEAUTIFUL SOCIETY IS FORM. OWN ALL THE LEADERS, ALL THE WORSHIPPING PLACES ETC.

THE NEED OF PRESENT TIME IS TO ENJOY EVERYTHING.

ACCEPT, ENJOY AND SHINE WITH DIVERSITY.

FIFTH LECTURE WAS GIVEN BY MR. HARIS KHALIQUE, GENERAL SECRETARY OF HUMAN RIGHTS COMMISSION. MR.HARIS KHALIQUE SPOKE ABOUT HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE LIGHT OF PLURALISM. HE BROUGHT POSITIVISM THAT WE MUST NOT BE SADDENED BY THE

ACTIVITIES OCCURRING IN PAKISTAN. THERE IS MUCH MORE TO APPRECIATE THAN TO

CRITICIZE.

TO UNDERSTAND THE HUMAN RIGHTS MOVEMENT, WE HAVE TO UNDERSTAND THE BACKGROUND OF ETHICS. THE PRIMARY DOCTRINE OF HUMAN RIGHTS WAS MADE IN 1948 AND IT IS PREVAILING UP STILL NOW. WE HAVE TO STOP DISCRIMINATING ON THE BASIS OF COLOR, CREED, STATUS AND OTHERS. UNIVERSAL DECLARATION OF HUMAN RIGHTS WAS ADOPTED BY UN IN 1948 AND PAKISTAN WAS AMONG ITS PRIMARY SIGNATORIES. HE SAID THAT EVERY CITIZEN IS ALSO A GLOBAL CITIZEN WHETHER HE LIVES IN PAKISTAN, US OR ANY OTHER STATE. EVERY STATE IS BOUND TO FOLLOW THE HUMAN RIGHTS DECLARED IN THE CHARTER.

HE LISTED THE 5 BASIC RIGHTS OF A HUMAN

CIVIL RIGHTS
POLITICAL RIGHTS
ECONOMIC RIGHTS
CULTURAL RIGHTS
SOCIAL RIGHTS

BUT WE SHOULD ALSO ADD ENVIRONMENTAL RIGHTS AS THE 6^TH BASIC RIGHT OF A HUMAN. AS THE WORLD IS FACING A MAJOR CRISIS I.E. CLIMATE CRISIS. BUT LIVING AND FOCUSING ON THE PRESENT, THE ESTABLISHMENT OF THESE 5 BASIC RIGHTS IS NECESSARY TO ACCEPT AND CELEBRATE THE DIVERSITY OF HUMANS ON ONE BASE.

HE QUOTED ALSO THAT THE INDIVIDUALS MUST NOT COMPROMISE ON THEIR INDIVIDUALITY. THEY MUST PROTECT THEIR INTELLECTUAL, PHYSICAL AND EMOTIONAL LIBERTIES

AT THE END OF THE LECTURE SERIES SOUVENIRS WERE GIVEN TO RESPECTED GUESTS.

PANEL DISCUSSION

IN THIS SESSION MODERATOR WAS MS. GUL E LAIBA, WHO ASKED THE QUESTIONS TO THE PANELISTS. THE PANELISTS WERE 3.

THERE WAS A PANEL DISCUSSION ON “PEACE WITHIN, PEACE WITHOUT”. MODERATOR WAS MS GUL E LAIBA AND THE PANELISTS WERE:

MR. HAROON SARABDIYAN (HINDU SCHOLAR)

DR. ARSHAD QAYUM (MUSLIM SCHOLAR)

MS. ROMANA BASHIR (CHRISTIAN SCHOLAR)

THE QUESTIONS WERE ASKED BY THE MODERATOR WHICH INCLUDES:

WHAT ARE THE FACTORS BEHIND THE EXPLOSIVE GROWTH OF RELIGION EXTREMISM IN PAKISTAN?
PAKISTAN FLAG’S CONTAINS WHITE COLOR FOR MINORITY RIGHTS…?
HOW MINORITIES PLAY ROLE IN INTERFAITH HARMONY AND PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE?

THE ALL PANELISTS UNITED ON THE FACTORS BEHIND THE EXTREMISM WHICH INCLUDES:

HISTORY THAT IS INCOMPLETE.
NO RESPECT OF DIVERSITY IN COURSE BOOKS.

MOREOVER THEY ALSO DISCUSSED THE ISLAM WHICH IS A RELIGION OF PEACE AND LOVE. IN QURAN ALLAH SAYS “LET THERE BE NO COMPULSION IN RELIGION”. THIS SHOW THAT ISLAM PROHIBITS FORCED CONVERSION. EVERYONE IS ALLOWED TO WORSHIP TO WHOEVER

THEY DESIRE. SO ISLAM IS A PEACEFUL RELIGION AND IT DON’T ALLOW THE EXTREMISM. THE PANELISTS ALSO DISCUSSED THE JINNAH’S ADDRESS TO THE FIRST CONSTITUENT ASSEMBLY OF PAKISTAN ON 11^TH AUGUST 1947, MR. JINNAH SAID:

“YOU ARE FREE; YOU ARE FREE TO GO TO YOUR TEMPLES; FREE TO GO TO YOUR MOSQUES OR TO ANY OTHER PLACES OF WORSHIP IN THE STATE OF PAKISTAN. YOU MAY BELONG TO ANY RELIGION OR CAST OR CREED THAT HAS NOTHING TO DO WITH THE BUSINESS OF THE STATE”

SO, LET US START WITH THIS FUNDAMENTAL PRINCIPLE OF CITIZEN EQUALITY IN A STATE, WHICH IS VITAL FOR THE DEVELOPMENT AND PROGRESSION OF ANY STATE AND NATION.

SO THE PANELIST JUST WANTED THE YOUTH TO TAKE CARE OF THE ALL HOLY PLACES OF ALL THE RELIGIONS IN PAKISTAN AND RESPECT AND ENJOY THE DIVERSITY, SPREAD PEACE AND LOVE BECAUSE EVERY RELIGION GIVES THE MESSAGE OF PEACE. AND ALL ARE CREATED EQUAL. WE HAVE TO BECOME ONE NATION. MINORITIES SHOULD BE TREATED WELL AND THEY ARE ALSO PAKISTANIS. SO, IT IS THE RESPONSIBILITY OF THE YOUTH TO PROMOTE PEACE AND TAKE CARE OF ALL HOLY PLACES OF ALL RELIGIONS.

IN THE END OF THE SYMPOSIUM MS. UZMA RYAZ, SECRETARY GENERAL, YOUNG PARLIAMENTARIAN FORUM, PARLIAMENT OF PAKISTAN CAME FORWARD AND ENCOURAGED THE YOUTH. SHE ALSO ENCOURAGED AND CONGRATULATES THE WHOLE TEAM OF SDGS- YSPP FOR THE SUCCESSFUL EVENT. SHE SAID THAT YOUTH IS VERY IMPORTANT ASSET OF THE COUNTRY AND THEY SHOULD ENGAGE IN SUCH FORUMS AND COME FORWARD FOR THE BETTERMENT OF PAKISTAN. THE GOVERNMENT OF PAKISTAN FULLY SUPPORTS SUCH ACTIONS FROM THE YOUTH AND ENCOURAGE THEM TO WORK FOR THE COUNTRY.

IN THE LAST VOTE OF THANKS WAS GIVEN BY MR. SARMAD SHEHBAZ BHUTTA.

THE EVENT WAS WRAPPED UP AT 3:30 PM. AFTER THAT REFRESHMENT AND GROUP PICTURES WERE CARRIED OUT.

CONCLUSION:

THE EVENT WAS CONCLUDED WITH THE PARTICIPANTS LEARNING A LOT FROM THE

EXPERTS REGARDING PEACEFUL COEXISTENCE & INTERFAITH HARMONY. THEY WERE ALSO TAUGHT ABOUT THE UNITED NATIONS 2030 AGENDA OF SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT I.E. SUSTAINABLE DEVELOPMENT GOALS. MOREOVER, OUT OF 110 PARTICIPANTS, 20 ARE CHOSEN FOR THE EXPERT GUIDANCE & SAPS IMPLEMENTATION IN THEIR LOCAL COMMUNITY. FURTHER REFERENCES WILL BE PROVIDED WITH THE COMPLETION OF SAPS.