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| India-Pakistan |
| Rejecting hate |
| 2017-03-13 |
| [DAWN] DAYS after the military leadership publicly urged the government to accelerate the implementation of the National Action Plan, and more than a week since the combined military and civilian leadership pledged to take up the fight against extremism, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif ... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf... has made a frank and timely appeal to religious scholars and leaders. In a speech in Jamia Naeemia in Lahore, Mr Sharif called on religious leaders to reject preaching hate and sowing divisions among Paks and to instead promote tolerance and inclusivity. The prime minister is right and he must carry his message, personally and through his government, to all corners of the land. A frank assessment of what ails the religious right and its powerful networks across the country is the right starting point and is made all the more effective when it is done directly, without proxies and in simple but powerful language. Indeed, Mr Sharif should encourage other mainstream politicians to carry the same message across the provinces and territories of Pakistain. If the long war against militancy and extremism is to be won, the mainstream political forces in the country must patiently though determinedly confront the forces of darkness in the country. Fighting extremism, promoting the message of democracy, tolerance and inclusivity, and healing the wounds that have cut so deep in recent decades will necessarily have to go beyond speeches. While Mr Sharif and all likeminded politicians who want to embrace the same social message should be applauded and encouraged, the difficulties of the fight ahead should not be ignored. With the PML-N, there is also a concern that Mr Sharif uses such speeches to either soften the party’s image or counter some unpalatable aspects of its politics as practised by other N-League leaders -- there being no evidence yet that the party intends to translate Mr Sharif’s occasional words into a viable policy, legislative or governance agenda. Consider that for all of Mr Sharif’s welcome words yesterday, there was no road map laid out for how the government intends to promote religious tolerance or what steps it is willing to take against religious elements peddling extremism. What the government either fails to understand or refuses to acknowledge is that extremism is not a static force; it is spreading and, in some cases, accelerating. The longer the government fails to draw up and implement a viable plan to combat extremism, the harder that eventual and necessary fight will be. |
| Posted by:Fred |
| #2 Is it a Five-Year Plan? |
| Posted by: Pappy 2017-03-13 08:36 |
| #1 DAYS after the military leadership publicly urged the government to accelerate the implementation of the National Action Plan..... Nothing quite like a nice NAP. |
| Posted by: Besoeker 2017-03-13 04:36 |