Speakers at a youth conference here on Wednesday called for recognizing the invaluable role of the young people as agents of peace, tolerance and progress by providing them adequate opportunities to emerge as harbingers of positive change and development.
The event titled ‘6th National Youth Summit’ was organized by the Iqra University Karachi in collaboration with Sir Syed University, Hamdard University, NED University of Engineering & Technology, Karachi, and Islamic Research Institute, Islamabad. Federal Minister for Inter-Provincial Coordination Fehmida Mirza and Maj Gen (r) Fida Hussain Malik were guests of honour. A large number of faculty members, academicians, intellectuals, civil society activists and students attended the summit.
In their speeches, the speakers stressed the need to provide the youth with platforms to voice their views and grievances and participate in the decision-making process to ensure that future development policies of the country do not exclude the potentially positive role that young people can play in ensuring peace, security and stability in Pakistan.
They said Pakistan is poised to enter an era of progress and prosperity and if young people, who comprise more than 31% of the country’s population aged between 15-29 years, are provided with opportunities through positive engagement, they can help build a truly progressive and inclusive society. The also underscored the role of the young people in preventing violent extremism and securing peace in the country.
As part of the series, another event titled ‘Dukhtaran-e-Pakistan: Role of Women in National Prosperity’ was organized by the Iqra University in collaboration with the Islamic Research Institute, Islamabad, on Tuesday.
Sindh Minister for Women Development Shehla Raza was guest speaker on the occasion. In her address, she said closing gender gaps, treating women with dignity and respect and offering them equal opportunities and access are critical for Pakistan’s futuristic sustainable growth and development. She said women’s empowerment is a necessary condition for meaningful, inclusive and sustainable development of any country, adding that the current government is working out a plan to provide health, education and basic needs to the women so that they can actively participate in the national development and prosperity.
Other speakers were of the view that empowerment of women is also vital to rein in the forces of terrorism and violent extremism, adding that the women often being the first teachers of their children can play a vital role in educating young people to value peace and not destruction.
Another event titled ‘Training of Trainers on Countering Violent Extremism by Faculty of Universities and Madaris’ was organised by the university on Monday. IRI Director General DR Ziaul Haq, Qari Zubair Ahmed and Qari Abdur Rasheed were prominent among those who spoke on the occasion.
Addressing the participants, the speakers said the role of teachers and ulema was of vital importance in character building of students at educational institutions and madaris to achieve lasting peace and tranquility through elimination of extremism, sectarianism and terrorism from the society. They also laid emphasis on the concept of inclusive citizenship as all citizens, whether Muslims or non-Muslims, enjoy equal rights in a true Islamic society as per the teachings of Holy Prophet (Peace be Upon Him).The workshop also sensitized the participants on countering violent extremism by highlighting various aspects of extremism, its stages and counter strategies, besides imparting training to the faculty members of universities and ulema belonging to different madaris to help promote peace, harmony and friendly relations between various segments of the society as well as different religious groups in the country.
Published in Daily Times, February 28th 2019.
