Social issues could spell ‘civil war’

Speakers discus political and economic challenges in South Asia with particular focus on Pakistan.

ISLAMABAD: The burgeoning unemployment, poverty, social injustice and economic deprivation, if left unchecked, could spell civil war in the country.

This was said by a National Defence University research fellow, Tahir Azad, at a seminar on “Political and Economic Challenges in South Asia with particular focus on Pakistan” organised by the South Asian Free Media Association on Wednesday.

Referring to his research, Tahir said the youth in Southern Punjab are being attracted by defunct religious outfits, particularly after the 2010 floods, due to the socio-economic deprivation.

He said the issues of religion and ethnicity are the root causes of conflicts and that people are more concerned with their personal affairs rather than national interests.

“Fraudulent political cultures and unrest in civil society have clogged the social development,”
he added.

Published in The Express Tribune, March 11^th, 2011.