Federal Minister for Planning and Development, Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal addressed the participants of the Peace, Education and Development Conference held under the aegis of the University of Narowal at Narowal Sports Gymnasium.
He emphasized that the purpose of the peace conference is to fight against those who spread extremism, hatred, intolerance, and bigotry in society through false information on social media. Teachers, students, and political parties will have to work together to fulfill the dreams of Pakistan’s peace, development, and prosperity. The only way to achieve this is through peace and order, and discouraging those who spread intolerance and misinformation in society.
The Federal Minister also highlighted that the biggest challenge facing Pakistan today is the propaganda based on wrong information which undermines the basic morals and values of our society. If a country has all the world’s resources, means, and facilities but there is no peace, then no one can stop that country from civil war. Therefore, sustainable development and prosperity are not possible without peace.
Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal further added that the foundation of our religion Islam is only peace and tranquility. In the past, politics in Pakistan has unfortunately become a victim of intolerance and bigotry, and some people even used religion to target their opponents. He stressed that the reason for the establishment of Pakistan was the struggle for peace, as Muslims as a minority were feeling insecure in India. Therefore, it is the duty of every Pakistani to protect the minorities and their rights.
The conference was also attended by Vice Chancellor Medical University Faisalabad Professor Dr. Zafar Chaudhry, Director General Islamic Research Institute Islamabad Dr. Zafar Chaudhry, Zia-ul-Haq, well-known journalist and columnist Mujibur Rahman Shami, Ajmal Shami and Khurshid Nadeem, drama writer Sarmad Khost, members of Qaumi Assembly Chaudhry Anwarul Haq, Member Provincial Assembly Rana Manan Khan, MLA Chaudhry Akmal Sargallah, former captain of Pakistan National Cricket Team Abdul Razzaq and prominent social, political and religious personalities.
Chaudhry Ahsan Iqbal also made it clear that the conference’s purpose was not to gain political sympathy for what happened to him on May 6. He has no personal enmity with the young man who shot at him with a pistol. There was no dispute between them, but through social media and politics, the seeds of hatred, prejudice, and extremism were sown in the mind of this young man, which led him to commit such an act.
