Discussion: Dialogue, not violence, key to resolving differences

HARIPUR: Dialogue not violence is the solution for resolving interfaith differences, said religious scholars speaking at a dialogue forum organised by Organisation for Research and Education here on Saturday evening.

They speakers urged members of different sects to be patient towards each other and resolve their differences. Religious leaders belonging to different school of thoughts, members of academia, lawyers, poets, journalist and civil society expressed their views on the occasion.

The participants said that the concept of globalisation was serving the agenda of neo-colonialists and the international forces were stealthily supporting the stakeholders of their choice. They claimed that their agenda was to get hold of the third world’s natural resources. Giving examples from history and referring to the ongoing war on terror in Pakistan, the speakers said a stereotypical image of the Muslims has been formed in the world.

Speaking about ending sectarian differences Former Anjuman Tulba Islam President Qazi Atiqur Rehman said that enforcement of Sharia was the only solution to the prevailing crisis the country was going through. “The western world has adopted Islamic rules and achieved prosperity whereas Pakistan is caught up in the vicious circle of democracy which can never work here,” he added.

Sadaqat Hasan, a local human rights activist said that it was imperative to ascertain the rights of minorities in Pakistan according to both national and international human rights law. Referring to article 20 (A) of the constitution, he said minorities in Hazara Division did not enjoy religious freedom. He quoted the recent expulsion of an alleged Ahmadi from Haripur and a Christian girl’s expulsion from a school in Havelian for misspelling the word naat to argue about the bigotry shown towards minorities. Furthermore, he said, non-Muslim students in private and public schools are made to study Islamiat in violation of article 22.

On the other hand Pakistan Peoples Party’s MPA Dr Faiza Rasheed accused the religious scholars for misinterpreting Islam and using it for justifying violence and coercion against women and minorities. She said religion has nothing to do with state affairs but in Pakistan it has always been used by religious leaders to further their personal interests.

Published in The Express Tribune, November 7^th,  2011.