The fifth radio program as part of Center for Research and Security Studies’ (CRSS) counter-radicalization initiative Ulasi Taroon (Social Cohesion) was aired on the topic of “Respect for Fundamental Human Rights.”
The program – broadcast on February 02, 2018 – discussed the importance of respecting fundamental human rights of all the citizens as a recipe for social cohesion in the society.
The guest on phone, Prof. Dr. Fakhrul Islam, Director, Pakistan Studies Center, University of Peshawar said that the articles 8 to 28 of the 1973 Constitution of Pakistan clearly describe the fundamental human rights available to the citizens – irrespective the gender, caste or religion – which are universal and indivisible. There is a dire need to reconnect the society with the core constitutional values of tolerance, equality, respect and inclusion to ameliorate the extremist attitudes and intolerant behaviors.
The first guest on show, Sana Gulzar, social activist said that from the right to education to the right to food, it was a legal obligation on state to deliver fundamental human rights to all the citizens indiscriminately. It’s also the primary responsibility of the state to protect fundamental human rights of the citizens at both federal and provincial levels. If all the forms of media are utilized for the promotion of fundamental human rights for all citizens, it can have a massive outreach and create a great impact. The collaboration of state and civil society can be crucial in promoting the human rights and values critical to social peace and cohesion.
“The involvement of state institutions into other tasks does not exempt them from fulfilling their core responsibility of human rights protection”, said the Bureau Chief of Geo News, Peshawar, Mr. Mehmood Jan Babar, during radio report.
The second guest on show, Mr. Hasan Madani, religious scholar who is also the caretaker of a madrassa said that not only the human rights but the responsibilities of citizens also needed to be clearly defined and propagated. The cultural norms, traditions and customs at times are the reasons for various human rights violations. The core constitutional values; rights & responsibilities should be incorporated into our curricula and taught at all educational institutions including madaris (seminaries). Our educational institutions have to come up with a serious and comprehensive program for raising awareness on human rights and other related themes of social cohesion, peace and harmony.
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 and FATA 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.