The government must take immediate action against hate speeches and material for promotion of peace and social coexistence and devise effective monitoring mechanism for the implementation of job quota reserved for deprived groups. This was emphasised by the speakers during a public outreach training workshop titled 'Monitoring Hate Speech and Job Quota' held here on Friday. The workshop was hosted by Association of Women for Awareness and Motivation (AWAM) in collaboration with the Rights of Expression, Assembly, Association and Thought (REAT) Network.
Speaking on the occasion, regional head of Strengthening Participatory Organisation (SPO), Salman Abid, said: "Hate speech is a way of expression to disgrace any particular group on the ground of faith, sect, gender, nationality, ethnicity, race and colour. Therefore, media regulation self created or government approved, along with responsible use of cyberspace, would be necessary to curb hate speech, so that it leaves a positive effect on the public."
He said that the government had approved several laws to create order in the society, but failed to implement them in letter and spirit, which caused frustration and deprivation among people. "Peace in our society will prevail only if the government addresses the social, economic and political deprivations of the deprived segments," he added.
A human rights activist, Naseem Anthony said: "Women, minorities and persons with disabilities are among the marginalized sections of society; therefore affirmative actions have been taken by the successive governments following the concept of social justice. In this regard, quota in education, employment and politics is reserved to ensure integration and empowerment of the weaker groups in Pakistan."
He said that the citizens must monitor the job quota to empower weaker groups economically; monitor and report hate speech to the concerned authorities for immediate action to prevent sectarianism.
Director AWAM, Nazia Sardar said: "Reforms in education sector are necessary, however, taking out the hate material in textbooks and discrimination in curriculum has become urgency, therefore the federal and provincial textbooks boards must be tasked to cleanse the books, curriculum and education policy of hatred and religious discrimination."
Director of Peace and Human Development (PHD) Foundation, Suneel Malik said: "Hate literature and propaganda to promote sectarianism, extremism and intolerance should not be allowed and effective action must be taken against newspapers and periodicals involved in such practices." "Apart from administrative handling, the government should prepare for a proactive policy response to build a culture of peace, conversely, an ideological, political, social and cultural response to extremism," he added.
A peace activist, Faisal Rasheed said: "Religious leaders and seminary teachers need to be sensitised and the banned outfits should not be allowed to function under any garb, the rule of law must take its course for ridding the nation of hate speech."
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