Ulasi Taroon: Everyone responsible for upholding rule of law

FIA provincial chapter chief says people must voice concerns through democratic discourse

PESHAWAR: Establishing rule of law is a long-term goal and a continuous process which refers to a society where the law applies to everyone, equally and indiscriminately regardless of their socio-political background and economic status; and everyone has equal access to justice.

This was expressed by Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa (K-P) Federal Investigation Agency (FIA) Director Mirvais Niaz on Monday during the ninth round of Ulasi Taroon, youth capacity building workshop organised by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) at the Department of Social Work, University of Peshawar.

He said that not only the law enforcement agencies but every single individual is responsible to uphold rule of law besides adhering to rule of law.

Underscoring the importance of democratic dialogue, Niaz said that citizens should collectively voice and articulate their concerns and mobilise pressure on those at the helm for the resolution of their issues but through a democratic discourse instead of flouting the law and resorting to violent means to communicate their demands.

“Ideally, police should be an agency oriented for public service rather than to be used as a force for furthering political objectives. Equipping our police with the modern policing tools can enhance its capacity to better implement rule of law,” he concluded.

Barrister Ali Gohar said that religious leaders should be aware of the religious and cultural sensitivities in the society, given the huge responsibility on them to achieve harmony and cohesion.

They [religious leaders] must realise the importance of their role in promoting tolerance, respect and harmony as all religions promote peace and humanity, he said, adding that bringing women into the mainstream is critical for the development of any country.

Inclusive democracy means involving all members of the society in the decision-making processes regardless of their colour, caste or creed. The social media may have been used negatively at some occasions but it’s worth tapping into its infinite potential given the multitude of its positive uses for propagating the positive messages, he concluded.

University of Peshawar (UoP) Department of Social Work Chairman Dr Rashid Khan said that the government must have a plan in place to give the youth the opportunity to participate and help them channelise their talents and energies into the national socio-political life.

It must also provide them with the much-needed avenues for effective participation in the democratic processes and play their part in the development of the country. Youth should also realise that their role is key to social cohesion and peace. Published in The Express Tribune, September 18^th, 2018.