The formation and enforcement of law should be considerate of the societal needs and values. A socially cohesive nation is one that prefers collective over individual interests and formulates shared goals of development and prosperity. Such a cohesion has been observed as an essentiality in the history of nation-building process. These views were expressed by Mr. Qasim Ali Khan, District Police Officer (DPO), Swat, during the 28th round of Ulasi Taroon Youth Capacity Building Workshops, organized by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) at and in collaboration with the University of Malakand. DPO Qasim Ali Khan further noted that the prerequisite for rule of law is indiscriminate application of law and accountability. Besides the state, there is a great onus on the members of society to uphold rule of law as a matter of responsible citizenship. The stronger the linkages between the institutions and citizens, the stronger the rule of law. The ideals of equality, justice and inclusion are at the core of notion of rule of law. Strengthening citizens’ voice through their inclusion in the democratic processes only bolsters accountability mechanism and strengthens institutions. This process is also beneficial for social cohesion as it promotes the sense the meaning, belonging and agency among the citizens. Given such a large youth population in Pakistan, the attitude and actions of the young matter a lot and they should cultivate a truly responsible mindset as future leaders. They should also formulate and go after the goals of their communal and national development. Dr. Sumaira Shams, Member, Provincial Assembly of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa said that only by citizens' active participation in the democratic processes, can we have an inclusive and accountable democracy. While the role of institutions is important in the matters of governance and provision of services meant for public welfare, an equal onus is on the citizens to learn about their rights and duties...

Everyone is equally subject to law regardless of their social, political or economic background, as a matter of rule of law. Rule of law also refers to the extent by which laws can influence individual and institutional behavior. These remarks were made by the Senior Superintendent of Police (Operations), Peshawar, Mr. Mansoor Aman during a discussion and networking workshop on social cohesion titled “Strengthening Faculty Leaders as Catalysts for Change”, held by the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS) as part of its youth leadership development initiative Ulasi Taroon, at University of Peshawar. He said that the supremacy of state law is mainly because of its inclusive and universal nature where it duly considers the public aspirations and values. Therefore, inclusive policy making is critical to rule of law and requires absolute consideration of the cultural ethos and traditions, so that it acts as a source of cohesion instead of polarization. Discrimination through selective justice is not only contrary to rule of law but also detrimental to social cohesion; disintegrating the society. Ideally, there should be no exceptions in law, and everyone should be treated equally. Unequal treatment of law with a certain group or individual takes a negative toll on the state of rule of law. Clash of culture/ traditions and codified law only leads to conflict and weakens social cohesion, just like the clash of social order and social contract. Though citizens are entitled to certain freedoms as their fundamental rights enshrined in the constitution, however, individual freedoms that interfere with others’ rights and freedoms are contrary to rule of law. Rule of law requires law that not only regulates individual behavior but also the institutional behaviors and nudges them to observe their constitutional limits. Dr. Shuja Ahmad, Chairman, Department of Philosophy, University of Peshawar noted that citizens’ access to information is one of the prerequisites to...