On July 15, 2011 CRSS hosted a consultative meeting of thePeace Network Pakistan (PNP), at its office premises in Islamabad. PNP is an alliance of scores of civil society organizations: Bacha Khan Trust, Society for Protection of Rights of Children, Paiman Alumni Trust, Sudhaar, Center for Peace and Human Rights, Sahil (Islamabad), Bargad (Gujranwala), Insan Foundation, Swat Youth Foundation and Association of Integrated Development (Quetta) etc. It is an initiative of Peace Education and Development (PEAD) Foundation, Islamabad, and CRSS is also part of the PNP.
The salient objectives of PNP include: provide platform to the different civil society organizations working on issues of peace promotion and peace building in different regions of Pakistan; To create awareness among the masses about the importance of peace, especially in contemporary era; To put pressure on the government to include peace education in the curriculum and get rid of portions of curriculum infusing the germs of radicalization and extremism among the students. PNP will also form and activate provincial chapters in coming days. CRSS serves as the Secretariat of the PNP.
Addressing the meeting, Ms. Mossarat Qadeem, Executive Director, Paiman Alumni Trust said there is need to strive for sustainable peace, and promotion of quality and meaningful education can lead towards this goal. She said the primary objective of PNP is to stand together for building peace. Addressing the challenge of radicalization and extremism in Pakistan, renowned writer, columnist and social activist, Mr. Haris Khalique, a renowned writer and social activist, said the roots of radicalization and extremism in Pakistan lie in the foundations of the state, and one cannot address the issue without revisiting and restructuring the basic state structure. He said political expediency always prevailed over nation-state building in Pakistan and different rulers (be it progressives like Zulfikar Ali Bhutto or religious conservatives like General Zia ul Haq) manipulated Islam to achieve their insulated political ends.
Participating in the consultative meeting, Mr. Imtiaz Gul, Executive Director, CRSS said that we as a nation should not always blame external elements/power for the prevalent sorry state of affairs in Pakistan. And as a principle in international relations, the weaker will always be subject to arm-twisting. Unless the society corrects the internal wrongs, it would be difficult to stop outsiders from interference and taking advantage of those weakness. .
The CRSS aim to develop a synergy of objectives (peace and security) while remaining as a crucial member of the Peace Network Pakistan.