Human rights: Tolerance holds the key to peace, says Justice Nasira Iqbal

Speakers at seminar condemn terrorist attack at Bacha Khan University

LAHORE:

There is need to promote tolerance in the society in light of the international declaration of human rights, Justice (r) Nasira Javed Iqbal said on Thursday.

She was speaking at a seminar titled Basic Human Rights: What We Need To Know, at the University of Education (UoE).

Punjab Higher Education Commission Chairman Dr Nizamuddin, UoE Vice Chancellor Rauf-i-Azam, Government College University VC Hassan Amir Shah, University of Management and Technology (UMT) Rector Hasan Sohaib Murad, principals of UoE campuses and a large number of students attended the seminar. Iqbal said that under law, local government officials were responsible to provide legal help to citizens. “Every individual is entitled to fundamental rights enshrined in the international declaration of human rights,” she said.

The former Lahore High Court judge said that an example of misinterpretation of religion was evident in a Council for Islamic Ideology’s decision (CII) on the issue of child marriage. “Both genders enjoy similar privileges, including the right to education and getting married at the age of 18.”

University attack

Participants of the seminar condemned Wednesday’s terrorist attack at Bacha Khan University, Charsadda.

Nizamuddin stressed the need for collective efforts to eliminate terrorism from the society. He said that it was the need of the hour to identify those helping the terrorists. “We should take a united stand against the militancy. We must put aside our differences,” he said. He urged students to play their role for the country’s progress. Rauf-i-Azam called the university attack a brutal and shameful crime. “Attacking educational institutions violate the dignity of humanity,” he said.

Amir Shah, too, called for rejecting an extremist approach. “There is need to change the mindsets and spread Islam’s message of love and tolerance,” the vice chancellor said.

Murad said the attack was an attempt to stop Pakistan from progressing. He advised the students to remain focused and work hard for peace.

Published in The Express Tribune, January 22^nd,  2016.