The 143rd radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) aired on the subject theme. The first guest on show Mr. Wali Khan Afridi, an advocate by profession, noted that in the newly merged districts, one of the most significant developments in the post-merger scenario is the extension of and being governed under the constitution of Pakistan which has made the people of tribal areas as much constitutionally empowered as the people of the other parts of the country. Extension of judicial system and equal entitlement to constitutional rights augur well for the citizens’ active participation in the democratic processes. Social cohesion in the areas affected by conflict require efficient and accountable governance, and reforms; especially in the justice sectors. Things are getting better in the newly merged districts which is ultimately benefitting the tribal communities. The true spirit of democracy lies in the local government system which is the basic requirement of democratic governance. It is also a constitutional requirement that ensures communal empowerment, delegation of powers to and nurture leadership at the grass root level to address a range of issues that concern the communities the most. Local government system is an important intervention that can address the problems of tribal districts and empower the citizens. The second guest on show, Ms. Mahnoor, Ulasi Taroon Alumna and a student of Department of Social Work, University of Peshawar, noted that participation in the Ulasi Taroon Youth Capacity Building Workshops was a transformative experience which familiarized her with different concepts critical to social cohesion, such as respect for fundamental human rights, acceptance of diversity, conflict resolution, rule of law etc. These are the opportunities our youth especially the tribal youth needs to hone their leadership potential as they expose them to the...

The 142nd radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) aired on the subject theme. The first guest on show, Mr. Safi Ullah Gul, a senior journalist, noted that equality is about the provision of equal rights and opportunities for all segments of the society. Equity goes a step ahead and is about offering varying level of support to different segments depending upon their different needs with the objective to achieve greater fairness and bring them at par with other segments of the society. A nation can only progress if women are given ample and equal opportunities for socio-economic and political participation. No country can progress without the participation and utilizing the potential of such a large portion of population. Consideration and delivery of the development needs of women only benefits the overall progress and fosters democratic development of the country. Patriarchal societies often tend to assign only traditional gender roles to women which decays their talents, skills and capacity to be a productive part of economy. Such societies need massive awareness about the role and rights of women as equal citizens and to not let gender become an inhibiting factor for growth. Empowering women not only empowers a family but the entire society benefits from their potential which can ultimately change the fate of nations. Also important is to give them opportunities to explore their potential in different career fields and not restricting them only to a few fields. The second guest on show, Mr. Shahab, Ulasi Taroon Alumnus and student of Institute of Management Sciences, Peshawar, noted that people living in a diverse society have different needs and require different opportunities given their different talents and nature of potential, therefore, they need to be fulfilled accordingly as a matter of equity. Besides the provision of opportunities and conducive...

The 141st radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) aired on the subject theme and was dedicated to the International Day of Social Justice. The first guest on show, Ms. Farah Yousufzai, a Peshawar based social activist said, “While there are several determinants of social justice, the one most crucial to social cohesion is the provision of equal rights to all the members of the society regardless of their faiths. There is a proportionate relationship between human rights and social justice, where the byproduct of this relationship is a socially just environment conducive to empowered citizenry and its participation in the socio-political and economic processes”. Besides the legal services on offer for the citizens, social justice requires citizens to fathom their responsibilities towards other members of the society. The second guest on show, Mr. Danish, Ulasi Taroon Alumnus and a student of City University, Peshawar noted that social inclusion of marginalized groups and their participation in the democratic processes is the one of the most essential prerequisites of social justice. Another important essentiality is the consideration and delivery of the development needs of women. The third guest on show, Mr. Shakeel Waheed Ullah, a columnist and social rights activist, noted that among so many factors affecting the overall state of social justice, it is also determined by the human attitudes and behaviors towards each other. Provision of social justice also depends upon the nature of social contract between the citizens and state. It denotes a two-way process where both citizens and state institutions understand their respective roles, realize responsibilities and perform them accordingly. 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...

The 140th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) aired on the subject theme. The programme was dedicated to the International Radio Day and discussed the importance of radio as medium of communication, for dissemination of information and community focused; demand oriented programming and awareness. The first guest on show, Mr. Khaista Rehman, President, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Broadcasters Forum noted that radio, though a conventional media, but will never be dated and continue to serve as an important platform to propagate and disseminate the messages key to community education and awareness. Community radio is an important community-oriented service and a platform available to the members of the community to voice their concerns and problems, and connect them with the stakeholders at different levels of governance in different parts of the country. It connects them with other parts of the country in different ways for instance broadcasting their issues and aspirations to, and providing them news and information from other parts of the country, respectively. Given the massive footprint and outreach of radio networks across the country, it can be used to achieve various development objectives like inculcating constitutional awareness and education among the public and cultivating law abiding, respectful and responsible citizenship. Also promoting the values of respect for fundamental human rights, acceptance of differences and adherence to rule of law as an investment in the socially cohesive and healthy society. The second guest on show, Mr. Afsar ul Mulk Afghan, Secretary General, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Broadcasters Forum, said that radio is one of the most powerful mediums to connect the diverse communities across the country and foster understanding among them about differences of culture, tradition, language and more. The third guest on show, Ms. Zoonash Zaki,...

The 139th radio program as part of the Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) aired on the subject theme. The programme discussed the essentiality of respecting diversity for the peaceful coexistence of the members of society. Also, the cross-cultural exchanges to promote understanding between individuals with different backgrounds. The first guest on show, Mr. Amjad Hussain, who teaches at the National University of Modern Languages noted that the acceptance of diversity is about the inclusion of people regardless of their socio-political or economic backgrounds, and considering them as an equal and important part of the society. Pakistan is a country with extensive ethnic, cultural, religious, traditional and linguistic diversity and we should encourage our people to develop understanding about its different cultures, languages and traditions, cooperate with each other regardless of these differences. There is no room for discriminatory behaviors and practices in a diverse society as it only fans polarization and deters social cohesion. The constitution of Pakistan guarantees equal rights to all the citizens and it is not conditional to their faith which only means that minorities are equal citizens. The best opportunity to promote fundamental democratic values of acceptance - enshrined in our constitution - is the system of education which incorporates and inculcates these ideals among the students, in addition to their regular course work. Conflicts are bound to happen as a natural phenomenon and result of human interactions, however, citizens equipped with mitigation skills can peacefully resolve them through dialogue and empathy. There should always be a narrative that delegitimizes and dispels extremist ideologies and messages. Also conscious efforts to promote cross-cultural dialogue as an intervention to foster understanding, cooperation, social capital. Linkages, understanding and...