The 86th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on September 20, 2019, on the theme of “Rule of Law and Social Cohesion”.
The first guest on show, Mr. Faisal Shehzad, head of the Department Law and Sharia, Islamia College University, Peshawar said that law – broadly speaking – is a composition of those agreed upon principles that have been recognized and imposed by the state with the purpose to impart justice to the public. The state needs a basic set of agreed-upon rules to regulate the behavior of its citizens for peaceful coexistence. Rule of law and indiscriminate accountability are primary ingredients for socio-political and economic progress, and democratic development. If justice is imparted to all and sundry with no discrimination whatsoever, then it will automatically pave the way for social cohesion and harmony in the society.
Charity begins at home and we should start from ourselves; through self-accountability and responsible citizenship to inspire the society at large into these much needed virtues. There are laws for each and everything in Pakistan but the real problem is enforcement and implementation. There cannot be different laws for different classes of the society as law is indiscriminate in nature where everyone is equally accountable and subject to law. Our constitution says that we are all equal before law irrespective of religious and racial differences.
The guest on phone, Mr. Ali Gohar, barrister, said that we have to set things in order at home where our greatest problem is to accuse others easily but never realize that the problem lies with us. We are part and parcel of this system and the whole system depends on individuals. As responsible citizens, we must use social media responsible; not defaming people and rather using to promote positivity. Self-accountability is bound to uphold rule of law and social cohesion.
“To make Pakistan a progressive state where everyone enjoys equal human rights, we need to have rule of law, accountability and due process of law. Everyone should be equal before the law and there should be no discrimination on the basis of social, political or economic backgrounds. Responsible citizenship demands shared goals and a collective vision of peace and prosperity. The state should endeavor for the welfare of all the citizens and strengthen rule of law for a just society”, said the District Officer, Frontier Constabulary, Peshawar, Mr. Waqar Azim during the radio report.
About Ulasi Taroon
Ulasi Taroon is a counter radicalization initiative of Center for Research and Security Studies that aims to address the radicalization challenges, extremist ideologies and foster social cohesion through a discourse anchored in the core constitutional values which are fundamentally essential prerequisites for social peace and harmony. The endeavor aims to cultivate and sensitize the people of KP in the core values in the Pakistani constitution and our social contract. It’s an attempt to highlight the criticality of abiding by these ideals – such as adherence to rule of law, primacy and sanctity of constitution, equal citizenry, responsible citizenship, respect for fundamental human rights, tolerance for diversity and different opinions, inclusive democracy and good governance – as a measure of fostering social cohesion and peaceful co-existence.