Stereotyping Pakistani society: West urged to avoid using extremists as benchmark

Pakistan's Ambassador to Germany Abdul Basit has said that a thin minority of extremist elements should not be used as a benchmark for stereotyping the entire Pakistani nation. A press release issued on Saturday quoted him as saying that the emergence of different advocacy groups and independent media had laid a foundation of a very vibrant civil society in Pakistan and its importance in national decision-making had immensely increased under the democratic government.
Addressing participants of a seminar on 'Pakistan: Challenges and Responses' organised by the South Asia Institute of the Heidelberg University, Basit said that despite a host of challenges and problems, many of them crept into the society because of the long-drawn conflict in the western neighbouring country. Pakistan, he said, had kept the momentum of growth as well as modernity.
Referring to various political reforms introduced by the government, he said that it had also enacted laws to protect women's rights. The people of Pakistan, he said, needed the support at "this time of transition and not unfounded criticism based on perceptions created by the vested interests".
Executive Director of the South Asia Institute Professor Dr Marcus Nuesser made a presentation on his research work on the 'Melting of Glacier in Nanga Parbat' and concluded that the melting process was not as fast as some researchers had thought it would be.
Professor Dr Harald Hamptmann shared his experiences about his research on old languages and the art of rock carving in northern Pakistan. Dr Niaz A Shah of the University of Hull, UK, said that Pakistan's political leadership and military command had shown their willingness to weed out terrorism and militancy through various military operations that they carried out over the past four years.
He said that it was unfortunate that western scholars relied on one-sided version of the ongoing conflict in Afghanistan and never tried to find out "the other version" to balance their research. Professor Dr Wiqar Ali Shah, Head of the Iqbal Chair of the Heidelberg University thanked the guests for attending the events on Pakistan organised by the institute as a part of its 50 years celebrations. Pakistan Embassy also set up a stall showcasing Pakistani handicraft, embroidered dresses and accessories on this occasion.-PR