Generation next: Youth want political impasse resolved at the earliest

600 young people from 110 districts participate in 5th National Youth Peace Festival.

LAHORE:

The government, media and civil society organisations should play their due role for political stability and strengthening democracy, according to a resolution passed by the participants of the 5th National Youth Peace Festival 2014.

It says the current political crises should be resolved at the earliest with mutual consensus of all stakeholders.

Nearly 600 young people from 110 districts passed the resolution at the peace festival that concluded on Saturday.

The Chanan Development Association (CDA) had organised the event in collaboration with the United Nations Democracy Fund (UNDEF), the United States Agency for International Development (USAID), the Umeed Jawan and the Youth Peer Education Network (Y-PEER).

The four-day festival, titled Pakistan Vows for Democracy, Education and Peace, had started on September 24. It provided people from diverse cultures, ethnicities, religions, communities, and socio-economic background with an opportunity to share their opinions.

The resolution reads: “We, the youth of Pakistan, from the platform of 5th National Youth Peace Festival 2014 support Operation Zarb-e-Azb in North Waziristan, and show great solidarity with the IDPs [internally displaced people], flood-affected people and martyrs of terrorism and their families. We also commit ourselves to play our positive role for the promotion of democracy, education and peace in the country.”

For free and fair elections and real democracy in the country, it calls for election reforms. It says local government elections should be held as early as possible, and at least 10% seats should be reserved for the youth.

“For the elimination of all forms of discrimination on the basis of religion, ethnicities, language, sects, and gender, governments should take constitutional, legal and social measures so that all citizens can enjoy full participation in national life.”

The resolution calls upon provincial governments to finalise youth policies and ensure their implementation. It says youth commissions comprising young people below 29 years of age should be formed. It says student unions should be activated.

The youth should be provided with opportunities for employment, technical skills development and higher education to enable them to play their positive role in the development of Pakistan, it says.

The resolution favours a unified education system and quality curricula free from all forms of discrimination.

“To control terrorism in the country, illicit weapons and illegal migrants should be controlled. Unified judicial system should be introduced in the country and justice should be ensured for everyone.”

It says people with disabilities should be provided with employment opportunities and orphans should be registered with the National Database and Registration Authority.

The youth activists were presented with Youth Icons Awards. Youth Parliament of Pakistan chairman Abrarul Haq, Mirza Ali Baig, a Mount Everest climber, and Shahbaz Israr were presented with Peace Ambassador Awards.

Governor Muhammad Sarwar urged the participants to play their role for the country’s development. He called the local government the basic element of democracy and favoured devolution of power.

The governor endorsed the resolution passed on the occasion, calling it a guideline for political parties and parliamentarians.

Senator Saeed Ghani, Balochistan Youth Affairs Minister Mir Mujeebur Rehman Hassani, Awami National Party leader Ahsan Wayen, the Umeed Jawan’s Saboor Ahmed and CDA Executive Director Muhammad Shahzad Khan, too, endorsed the resolution.

Published in The Express Tribune, September 28^th, 2014.