Youth Parliament discusses interfaith harmony policy

KARACHI:

Pakistan Institute of Legislative Development and Transparency — PILDAT’s Policy Dialogue on the topic, “National Interfaith Harmony Policy” was organised in Karachi as part of the sixth session of the 18th Youth Parliament on Friday.

The 18th Youth Parliament Pakistan convened its sixth session in Karachi bringing together 162 young members, attending in person and virtually from across Pakistan, including Azad Jammu and Kashmir, Gilgit-Baltistan, and Overseas Pakistanis.

During the discussion, Deputy Speaker of the Sindh Assembly Anthony Naveed acknowledged that challenges exist and will persist, but emphasised that effective policy implementation is crucial. He supported the formation of a National Minority Commission but critiqued past commissions, stating that they had only 40 per cent minority representation. He also took exception to the term minority, and instead suggested the use of a term like faith-based communities.

MPA MQM-P Mahesh Kumar Hasija stressed the need for a curriculum revision, as existing educational texts often promote discrimination. He noted that minority communities are often targeted in these books, painted as the “others” and as “threats”. He reiterated the need for greater public awareness of laws protecting minorities, ensuring that such knowledge is not limited to parliamentarians alone.

Former Member of the National Assembly Dr Shazia Sobia Aslam Soomro provided a foundational understanding of interfaith harmony, defining it as peaceful coexistence.