LONDON: The second annual “Pakistan: The Way Forward” conference was held under the umbrella of South Asians Against Terrorism and for Human Rights (SAATH), co-hosted by US-based columnist Dr Mohammad Taqi and former ambassador of Pakistan to the United States, Husain Haqqani.
The aim of the moot was to plead the Pakistani government to ensure that fundamental rights of all citizens, including minorities, are safeguarded as per the Constitution.
Various liberal and progressive intellectuals, human rights and social media activists and public figures exchanged their views on their vision of a liberal and democratic Pakistan.
The speakers reflected upon on the Pakistani government’s policies both domestic and international and raised their concerns over the current state of affairs in the country in many areas, urging the authorities to make relevant changes.
The speakers raised concerns over restricted opportunities for debate and discussion and advocates of liberal, secular, progressive ideas and pluralism being targets of extremists in the country.
Many speakers feared the deteriorating human rights situation in South Asia, including in India, Bangladesh and Afghanistan, where forces of right-wing seem to be dominant at the cost of vulnerable factions of the society.
Moreover, the speakers also pointed out the great number of improvements in many sectors of the country, however, they brought into the limelight many different ways in which various groups and segments of the society remain vulnerable by being denied equal human rights as all other segments of the society.
The speakers also brought under discussion attempts to promote the political agenda of extremist and banned organisations. Referring to the participation of two candidates in the NA-120 by-poll, Rashed Rehman, human rights advocate, told a private TV channel that the active involvement of the militant groups into politics poses a serious threat to the democracy in Pakistan.
“It’s a dangerous development that these groups are being brought into politics. These groups don’t believe in democracy at all,” he stated.
It was also suggested by the participants that to further the democratic system in Pakistan, the federating units must be given maximum powers and the National Finance Commission Award should allocate considerable resources to provinces for local development as well as the transfer of power.
The conference agreed that Pakistan needs to adopt a new national approach driven by progressive ideas, detached from religious extremism and militancy.
Many participants complained that media has been used to issue fatwas against those with diverging voices.
Haqqani told media that those who have raised their voice against the current government policies are just as patriotic as anyone else and they envision a pluralistic and progressive Pakistan.
He stated that although the ideas of liberalistic thinkers and intellectuals are open for criticism, however, it is not fair that their dissenting ideas be labeled anti-Pakistan or led by foreign agenda.
He showed concern over growing intolerance that has been posing a threat to Pakistan and downplaying the country’s interests on the international forum.
A joint declaration by the moot invited the Pakistani government to allow the free flow of fresh ideas by broad-minded and progressive Pakistanis as opposed to relying on ideas manoeuvred by the right-wing elements.
The declaration said that a “steady diet of conspiracy theories” had harmed Pakistan and it was time to revisit such policies.
The participants agreed that a progressive and a pluralist Pakistan represents the true voice of Pakistan and is crucial for a positive global and local image. Hence, the decision makers should let proponents of liberal, secular and progressive ideas to voice their opinion.
