ISLAMABAD - Speakers at a seminar stressed  the need for collective efforts and shared response from Pakistani media, civil society, political parties and security forces to combat radicalism and extremism here on Monday.
The seminar was conducted jointly by SDPI, Minority Rights Group (MRG) & Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands.
Speakers discussed the radicalism in Pakistan and its possible solutions to prevent this plague from further spreading. Dr. Abid Qayium Suleri, Executive Director, SDPI, in his address lamented the killing of Rashid Rehman in Multan, which is an example of vacuum of tolerance and patience in Pakistani society.
While chairing the session, Mehmood Bashir Virk, Chairman, Standing Committee on Law, Justice and Human Rights, suggested that media and civil societies should join hands together and launch a vigorous campaign against violence and also publish human-interest stories about the victims of indiscriminate terrorist violence.
Ejaz Haider, a senior analyst and expert on national security affairs, highlighted that the real problem is not terrorism, it is extremism and unfortunately, we are full of religion, 3but devoid of culture." He also talked about the monopoly of violence adding, "Monopoly of violence does not mean that the state should have the power to do anything with the masses but it states that this power should be legitimized through specific rules and laws."
Mussarat Ahmed Zeb, MNA, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf, opined that terrorism is a tree and radicalization provides a balanced food to grow the tree properly. Youth can be the best way to bring peace in the world by nurturing their minds through providing them soul-energizing activities.