Youth forum: ‘Democracy, too, is a way of life’

Speakers at the second Khudi Annual Festival say a democratic culture should be promoted.

LAHORE:

As many as 250 youth activists from all over the country gathered at Khudi’s Annual Festival of Ideas for its second day on Saturday.

Former Khyber Pakhtunkhwa minister Mian Ifthikhar Hussain of the Awami National Party (ANP) delivered the keynote speech on counter-militancy and Talibanisation.

He discussed the government’s policy of dialogue with the Taliban.

About the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI) contribution, he said, “[PTI chief Imran] Khan so far has not taken a step for the dialogue. His party’s government has approached none of the 53 factions of the Taliban.”

“If ordinary people can point out where the Taliban are hiding, how can the government be unaware of where to find them?” he questioned.

He said the narrative on militancy and extremism needed to changed.

“If it doesn’t, the sacrifices of 850 ANP workers will go in vain,” he said.

Speaking at a panel discussion, Haider Farooqi Maududi said, “The exploitation of religion for political purposes has made Pakistan hell.”

He said “Pakistan had not emerged from a religious conflict but a political one.”

He called for separation of religion from state matters.

Other speakers in the panel Tanveer Jahan, Tahir Wadood Malik and Sulaiman Mandran agreed with him.

At a panel discussion titled Democratic Transition: Hopes and Fears Tahir Mehdi, Fahd Husain and Taimur Rehman said democracy is not only a form of governance but also a way of life.

“To bring true democratic change, a democratic culture has to be established at all levels, including in our homes and workplaces,” the speakers said.

After the panel discussions, the participants divided into four crisis committees to discuss various regional and international conflicts the country faces.

The committees discussed at length the civil-military relations, Pakistan-India relations, and Pakistan-US relations, along with the issue of militancy.

The Mekaal Hasan Band also performed on the occasion.

On Sunday (today) the final day of the festival education and censorship will be discussed.

Speakers for the final session include Ayaz Amir, Murtaza Solangi, Wajahat Masood, Saroop Ijaz, Daanish Mustafa and Yasser Latif Hamdani.

Published in The Express Tribune, October 27^th, 2013.