CRSS team visited Government General Musa College in Murree Abad on June 28, 2013. This college is named after General Musa Khan, a former governor, who belonged to the minority shia Hazara community.
The minority Hazara community has been under attack particularly since 2011 in particular and CRSS decided to hold a lecture there as a mark of solidarity with the Hazaras. While most people from within Balochistan as well as from outside are reluctant in visiting Hazara areas for fear of attacks by terrorists, CRSS decided to interact with the students of the College.
Welcoming the CRSS for this bold initiative, the principal Mr.Mukhtiar Jaffry thanked the organization for visiting the college in adverse conditions. He also hoped such activity will be repeated in future as well to give hope and moral support to the Hazara people.
In his lecture CRSS CEO, Imtiaz Gul, spoke about the need for not giving up hope and patience. He said despite adverse circumstances, the youth must stay positive because they are the real future leaders who can turn adversity into opportunities. Youth are a pack of energy and ideas. They must step forward to realize the ideals of a democratic society based on a constitution that promises equal rights to every citizen. Gul urged the students to vigorously multiply the message that ‘every single person living on the Pakistani territory is entitled to, and must be accorded, equal fundamental rights.’
Disregard the claims of responsibility of acts of terror by one or the other group. These are primarily part of a concerted campaign to terrorize people at large and sow fear in their hearts and minds. This terror campaign has various manifestations from the north to southern and southwestern Pakistan i. ethnic, linguistic, nationalistic, religious or political. This must not deter the youth from working for peace, democracy, inclusive dialogue. Essentially the conversation must be embedded in constitutionalism, secular and dispassionate, Gul emphasizes.
The lecture evoked several questions by students, most of whom sounded frustrated, scared, uncertain and clueless about the future.