Speakers said the youth parliament provided an ideal forum to learn about different ethnicities, languages and cultures of Pakistan.
They were speaking at the launching ceremony of PILDAT’s 6th Youth Parliament Pakistan (YPP).
Commerce Minister Khurram Dastgir Khan, Danish Ambassador Jesper Moller Sorensen, YPP patron and former NA deputy speaker Faisal Karim Kundi, former deputy speaker Wazir Ahmed Jogezai, MNA Shaza Fatima Khawaja, Murad Saeed and around 60 young parliamentarians selected from across the country were also present.
Through its development assistance, the government of Denmark has been supporting PILDAT’s Youth Parliament Programme since 2010 with the aim to promote democracy in Pakistan.
Dastgir said democracy was an understanding with the citizens to take them along towards greater public good. He said the first lesson he learnt in parliament was that there exist other perspectives and prisms on Pakistan other than those coming from Punjab.
He hoped that this lesson will be learnt by the young parliamentarians as well.
He said that it was a tremendous privilege to represent fellow citizens in the parliament. “This privilege should not be maligned,” he said, adding that in public service, good intentions alone are not sufficient, but a consistent effort was required both in making reforms and taking people along.
The Danish ambassador said that the YPP aimed to provide the young members with numerous opportunities to understand, to engage in and also to question the process of democracy. Sorensen said, “Democracy starts when we learn to listen to others and give space to opinions which may differ from ours. And this is more important than ever, as the global economy is connecting us more than ever”.
“The future is always somewhat uncertain --- but what is certain to me is that it will be the young people of Pakistan who determine what the future will be,” he said.
He also encouraged the young parliamentarians to get the most out of the programme to the benefit of their country. “I am strongly convinced that you cannot talk about democracy or civil empowerment without engaging the youth. This program is therefore a great opportunity for you to learn about civic responsibility, team work, tolerance and respect for other people’s opinion.”
Kundi thanked the Danish embassy for providing support to the initiative.
Khawaja advised the youth parliamentarians to strive to achieve integrity in public life.
Saeed congratulated the members on their selection and advised them to use the opportunity of learning and leadership skills to the fullest.
PILDAT President Ahmed Bilal Mehboob said that the organisation has completed five cycles of YPPs in seven years. “The 6th YPP marks a new phase in the life of the institution and a record 2,000 expressions of interest were received for this batch.”
Mehboob said that Pakistan needed to strengthen its democratic institutions and inculcate democratic culture in the society. “We need to discourage extremist tendencies and lack of tolerance for others’ beliefs and views and strengthen the rule of law.”
The 6th YPP will have an enhanced role as the youth standing committee will focus on reviewing critical policy issues with developing cogent policy alternatives for the Parliament and the government of Pakistan.
Published in The Express Tribune, June 27th, 2014.
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