Minister says govt trying to rebuild ties with USAID

Work of 80 NGOs promoting peace exhibited at event.

LAHORE: Youth Affairs, Sports, Archaeology and Tourism Minister Rana Mashhood said on Thursday that the government had been trying to rebuild its relationship with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) by holding talks.  

He was speaking at an event organised to display the work of 80 nongovernmental organisations (NGOs) striving to curb terrorism and religious extremism across the Punjab. Mashhood said the government had refused assistance from the agency in the wake of the Raymond Davis affair. He said the government had been compelled to take the step as it had felt slighted.  Khan praised the NGOs for coming together to promote peace. He reiterated the government’s anti-terrorism stance and said no distinction would be made between “good” and “bad” militants.

Bargad-Organisation for Youth Development executive director Sabiha Shaheen stressed the need to move beyond questioning the motives of foreign funded NGOs. She said civil society should partner with like minded groups to promote peace. Shaheen praised the USAID for its efforts to promote peace.  She said the government had also been supporting projects promoting peace. Shaheen expressed hope that the government would move against outlawed outfits operating overtly.

MPAs Farah Manzoor Khan, Mary Gill and Mehvish Sultan were also present on the occasion. The lawmakers spoke about the efforts of the government to eradicate terrorism. They said the government’s resolve in this regard could be gauged by the quick formulation of the National Action Plan (NAP). The MPAs exhorted citizens to support the government’s initiatives to promote peace.

Posters, videos and stories promoting peace and tolerance were exhibited on the occasion. Students from the Islamia University of Bahawalpur staged a play depicting the Peshawar carnage. The play sensitised the audience regarding the dire ramifications of terrorism.

Published in The Express Tribune, February 27^th, 2015.