PESHAWAR – Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Information and Culture Minister Mian Iftikhar Hussain said on Thursday the judiciary must fulfill its responsibilities regarding punishing terrorists as a step towards complete eradication of terrorism.
“A lesser conviction rate of militants is one of the reasons behind a fresh wave of violence and terrorist acts,” Iftikhar remarked while addressing a roundtable on ‘Peace through Culture’ at Peshawar Press Club. The roundtable was organised by the Cultural Journalists Forum and attended by people from different walks of life.
Iftikhar commented that culture of this region had been badly affected by violence and extremism and its revival was possible only when people forged unity amongst their ranks. He said that certain circles were extending moral and political support to terrorist groups, which he stated was harmful.
He was of the view that terrorists are working on a foreign agenda and had no concern with miseries and sufferings of the common man. Referring to achievements made in the war on terror, Iftikhar said, “Government’s political and security forces’ military strategies proved meaningful. Now responsibility rests with the judiciary to fulfill its responsibilities.” Elaborating his point of view, he stated that of the 5,000 militants netted out by security forces, only two percent have been convicted and the rest released.
He also deemed redundant the need for further evidence against terrorists once arrested red-handed. He said that it was high time for the judiciary to award exemplary punishments to terrorists in accordance with the expectations of the people. Regarding stimulation of cultural activities in the province, Iftikhar said that efforts in this respect were in progress.
Expressing the government’s determination to encourage peaceful cultural commotion, he urged poets, intellectuals, artists and singers from all lingual, ethnic and racial groups to harbor patience and tolerance for each other. Earlier, a large number of poets, intellectuals, artists, singers and journalists expressed their views for the promotion of cultural activities in the province.
Amongst them Nisar Mohammad Khan, Dr Muhammad Azam, Gulzar Alam, Javed Babar, Jan Nisar Khan, Idrees Kamal, Saad Ullah Jan Barq, Rokhan Yousafzai, Tariq Awan, Syed Zulfikar Ali Shah, Prof Dr Nasim Kamal, Prof Dr Raaj Wali Shah, Sher Alam Shinwari and Tariq Jamal were prominent.
