Speakers at a conference have urged the government to remove hatred lessons against other religions from the textbooks, which are taught in government and private educational institutes with an aim to create harmony and brotherhood among minorities and Muslims in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KP).
These views were expressed during the conference, titled, “Uprooting Religious Intolerance through Formal Education System in Pakistan” organised jointly by National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) and South Asia Partnership of Pakistan (SAP-Pk) held at a local hotel on Thursday.
Representatives from different religions, political parties, educationalists, lawyers and human rights activists participated in the conference while noted speakers were included president of National party (NP) Mukhtar Bacha, a former MNA of Awami National party (ANP) Jameela Gilani, the KP Minister for Minorities Dr Sardar Suran Singh, Dr Prof Shafiq-ur-Rahman, Barrister Hashim Raza, Shahab Khattak Advocate, Regional Head SAP, Sikander Zaman and Father John William shared their views the hated lessons and harmony among all religions.
They said that inhumanity and undemocratic things have been promoted through education for three decades and hate materials were made a part of the books, which were being taught to students with an aim to create differences among different religions of Pakistan.
Prof Shafiq said that religious extremism had no concern with education, as masses particularly youth get such extremism from TV channels, which he added were spreading through different means and that was the reason that instead of proving being a good citizen, their youngsters cause pessimistic for non-Muslims.
Hashim Raza on the occasion said that legislations should be made for provision of justice and equal rights to minorities but those changes were not possible through laws unless change in behaviours and attitudes were made. He added minorities in Pakistan were passing their lives as marginalised people.
Provincial Minister Sardar Suran Singh recalled the days when despite illiteracy being widespread, there was love, brotherhood and harmony among Sikh, Hindus, Christians and Muslims and no words based on hatred was used against each other. “Not only Muslims has extremists but also other religions, but it does not mean to defame a religion,” he said.
He stressed the need for bringing positive change in curriculum and behaviours and said that this message is to be conveyed to other people in the society in order to create an atmosphere based on peace, religious harmony and brotherhood because they all were Pakistanis.
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