Religious extremism and terrorism in Pakistan dating back to the 1980s involved domestic and global factors and adversely affected Pakistani society, and Pakistan lost the feature of cultural and religious tolerance and political accommodation, Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi, professor emeritus of Punjab University said on Tuesday. Delivering his keynote address at the inauguration ceremony of the International Conference entitled "Diversity and Peace: Challenges to Social Discourse," which was held by the Karachi University's Faculty of Social Sciences.
Academicians and intellectuals have a leading role to play in encouraging dialogue among different sections of society, he said. Dialogue among people of different lands and their governments is essential to accommodate diversity and emphasize pluralism. Currently there is a realization of what has gone wrong with Pakistan, efforts of the Pakistani state and society to counter violent and terrorist activities in the country, as well as intolerance, he added. The state is making serious efforts for promotion of dialogue and accommodation, which is indeed commendable", said Dr Askari.
The university's vice chancellor, Dr Muhammad Ajmal Khan, said that social sciences are no more in isolation in the contemporary era but has gained significant importance in the backdrop of the political, social and economic events in the world. "This conference will not only strengthen the ideology of Pakistan but also to unleash the process of meaningful academic discourse which can positively transform the mindset of our people and bring a qualitative change in our society, he said.
Dr Xie Xiaoqing from China's University of Geosciences, Karachi University's dean of the faculty of social sciences Dr Muhammad Ahmed Qadri presented their paper. They said that construction of the China-Pakistan Economic Corridor is an important event reflecting the two countries' strategic and cooperative partnership. Dr Olena Bordilovska of the Taras Shevchenko National University of Kyiv, Ukraine, presented her research paper. She said that Ukraine, one of the so-called NIS (New Independent States), is a bright example of efforts for peace and security.
For the last 26 years, a lot of efforts have been made to create a positive image of the country, to provide peace and harmony in Ukraine's relationship with the neighbours and to insure nation-building on the basis of cultural diversity, social harmony and economic prosperity. Paulina Fecht from the University of Heidelberg in Germany said in her research paper that the era since World War II was a revolution in itself due to emerging trend of reconciliation in the European states which was unprecedented in the past due to power politics.
The Franco-German peace process is a classic example of the period after World War II, because it ended centuries of old rivalry between the two nations and brought peace and stability to the region. Hostile relations between India and Pakistan are not centuries old but the clash of ideologies between the two newly born states led the region towards war and nuclear arms race thus making the region the hottest nuclear flash point. There is a great lesson for India and Pakistan in the Franco-German reconciliation model, she said.
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