Almost every student was aware of the menace of terrorism, sectarianism, extortion and target killings, which were plaguing the lives of ordinary citizens, when speaker and trainer, Malik Zameer Hassan Awan, questioned them about it. PHOTO: FILE
An hour-long lecture on terrorism and extremism on Tuesday brought a perceptible change in the viewpoint of students of Muhammadi School, Sultanabad, who resolved that humanity came before religion and ethnicity.
Farhan Iqbal of the Karachi Youth Initiative (KYI) in collaboration with Pakistan Youth Alliance (PYA) had organised a workshop at the school under its ‘Peace Rickshaw Project’.
Shabby chairs and desks, two ceiling fans with broken wings and two cupboards filled with bottles and plastic jars comprised the total assets of the laboratory at the school, where the workshop was held as the small classrooms could not accommodate three classes together.
Almost every student was aware of the menace of terrorism, sectarianism, extortion and target killings, which were plaguing the lives of ordinary citizens, when speaker and trainer, Malik Zameer Hassan Awan, questioned them about it.
When he asked them who was responsible for these evils, some of the students blamed Jews, some named political parties and politicians, while other pointed fingers towards Taliban. A few held the high levels of poverty in the country responsible.
“If we consider all Muslims equal and unite, then we can counter these problems,” said a student. A few students belonging to the minority group also tried to offer some solutions. “We should think of ourselves as human beings instead of Muslims, Shia, Sunni, Pathan, Punjabi, Sindhi, Mohajir and Baloch, if we want to solve these problems,” said a boy.
His answer surprised the trainer, who shook hands with the student, as the room echoed with applause.
Awan told the students that before acquiring education, we needed peace. “The countries where peace prevailed managed to achieve development. It is not possible to acquire education when the menace of terrorism, extremism and sectarian violence continues to haunt our life. Till we eradicate terrorism, we can’t get rid of other problems.”
The students vowed to do their part and promised to stop people from indulging in criminal activities in their neighbourhood.
Iqbal told The Express Tribune that they were working with the youths of Lyari, Keamari and Korangi. The workshop was a part of series of other activities which they were conducting in these areas to create awareness and promote peace. “Students of each of the three towns had different approaches towards extremism and terrorism. Students of Lyari face problems from gangwar elements. The youth of Korangi complained about extortion by political parties, and exhibited more awareness than the students of Sultanabad,” said PYA project-manager Maryam Kanwer.
The youth bodies faced problems in finding a place at Sultanbad for the workshop as the principal of the school was skeptical about the motives of the project. “He [the principal] thought we might talk against religion but, later, we persuaded him through our contacts,” said Salman Khan of the KYI.
Under the project, the two youth organisations are conducting 17 workshops, in which 11 workshops will train the youth, while in the other six workshops, transporters and rickshaw drivers will be trained for promoting peace in the city. “We will paint 100 rickshaws in the city with peace messages, which will then move around the city spreading these messages,” said Iqbal.
In the end, the students handed over their peace messages which they had painted on placards. These messages will be displayed in other workshops and some selected messages will be painted on rickshaws, said Kanwer. She added that their future project will focus on Orangi Town, Sohrab Goth and other unprivileged areas.
Published in The Express Tribune, September 4th, 2013.
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