The Peace and Human Development (PHD), Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) in collaboration with the Adara Samaji Behbood (ASB), Kuknas and Awami Workers Party (AWP) jointly staged a rally entitled 'The Right of Peoples to Peace' to mark international day of peace and death anniversary of freedom fighter Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal, held in front of press club in Faisalabad. The rally was joined by people hailing from different communities and different socio-economic background.
Speaking on the occasion, the director of the Kuknas, Touhid Ahmad paid rich tribute to martyr Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal, a greatest freedom fighter in the Punjab rebellion of 1857, who was shot dead in the battlefield of Okara district on 21 September 1857 while he was saying his afternoon prayers.
A general secretary of the Awami Workers Party, Arif Ayaz said that Martyr Rai Ahmed Khan Kharal was a man with courage and bravery, who led the rebellion of the local Muslims against the British authority, and refused to pay taxes to the British employees, and sacrificed his life for freedom.
The director of the AWAM, Nazia Sardar said, "Intolerance and violence are escalating in Pakistan, therefore young people of Pakistan having enormous potential to affect public attitude and perceptions, must be sensitised and educated in Peace-building, as the key instrument to mitigate conflicts, nurture peace and strengthen tolerance in society."
The director of the PHD Foundation, Suneel Malik said, "Peace and political harmony will come in Pakistan when everyone will first think of the country's interests instead of thinking for themselves. Therefore, comprehensive electoral reforms must be introduced to put an end to the political crises in Pakistan, and prevent the rigging and enhance the quality of future elections. The new provinces including Hazara, Gilgit-Baltistan, South Punjab and FATA on administrative basis are imperative to deliver rights to the people at their doorstep."
A human rights activist, Naseem Anthony said, "Peace is possible in Pakistan unless true democracy, accountability, justice and equal distribution of economic resources are ensured. Therefore, the government must conduct credible and reliable population census on priority basis, and must hold local body elections to pass on power and resources to the people at the grass root level."
A women rights activist, Shazia George said, "The federal and provincial governments must set up special police force with professional training to take pro-active stance to protect settlements and workshop places of non-Muslims from mob attacks." "The government must release funds to district administration for the renovation and preservation of the composite heritage like historical religious buildings, to promote social and religious harmony Pakistan."
A social activist, Irshad Parkash said, "The educational curricula should be purged of all kinds of literature inciting hatred toward a specific community, and must be made source to promote a culture of religious and social tolerance. The Christians and other groups had made significant strides in the fields of education and health and defence, which needs to be included in all Pakistan studies textbooks."
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