Rule of law is strengthened only when the law of the land is applied across the board and everyone is indiscriminately held accountable. It is the responsibility of the citizens to cooperate with the state and its institutions to implement and uphold rule of law.
These remarks were made by Mr. Ahmad Zunair, Superintendent of Police (SP), Peshawar Cantt., during the 34th round of Ulasi Taroon Youth Capacity Building Workshops, organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) at and in collaboration with the Abasyn University Peshawar.
He added that the closer the citizens and the state, the stronger the rule of law. Equality, justice and respect for fundamental human rights are essentialities for rule of law and societies cannot progress without the provision of these ideals. Positive/ critical thinking, attitude and practices of youth can lead to a positive change in the country, given such a large percentage of young population. Youth as future leaders should not only respect and adhere to the principles of supremacy of the law, but also work in collaboration with and support the law enforcement institutions to uphold rule of law.
Advocate Ali Gohar said that inclusive democracy, indiscriminate accountability and good governance promote social cohesion. The best we can do to enhance social cohesion is to educate the young in the educational institutions about the values key to cohesion, peace and harmony in the society. It’s the responsible, law-abiding citizenship that builds a bridge towards a prosperous future and there is a huge onus on the young people in the society to cultivate these ideals.
Freedom of expression comes with responsibilities where it cannot be used to hurt others’ sentiments or interfere with rights. The post globalized era demands us to highlight and raise our voice against the human rights violations not only in our own country but anywhere around the world. The need to respect the law is not only just the constitutional compulsion of the citizens but equally mandatory for the government institutions. It’s the cultivation of responsible citizenship in the society that contributes to rule of law.
Mr. Shams Mohmand, Project Manager, CRSS underscored the need for the positively utilizing the potential of social media to promote the values key to social cohesion in the society and young people as major users of the medium can play a great role in this regard.
The lead trainer for Ulasi Taroon, Ms. Shagufta Gul said that we can only secure our own rights by respecting others’ rights and the constitution.
About Ulasi Taroon:
Ulasi Taroon is a youth leadership development initiative of CRSS running since 2017, with over 1000 alumni from different public and private sector universities across KP. The programme aims to promote social cohesion and cultivate the young through a discourse embedded in the core constitutional values of peace and harmony.