Voice For Justice International commemorated the International Day of Peace at Tehsil Council Hall Sahiwal with 200 representatives from Punjab. Oscar Parkash moderated the proceedings of the event while earlier an informal session with participants was conducted.
Diocesan Director of National Commission for Justice and Peace Fr Khalid Rashid was the chief guest at the event. He urged all to take part in communal activities for commemorations as such are very important reminders of our role and commitments towards the global community.” He believes in engaging youth to play their role in peacebuilding in the country.
Prof Jalil said International Peace Day is commemorated each year on September 21 since it was established by the United Nations General Assembly in 1981. It is a day of non-violence and a ceasefire.
The commemoration featured a discussion on the Right to Peace which highlighted the role civil society can play in keeping peace in their communities.
Ashiknaz Khokhar shared his work at the Voice For Justice International which is a nationwide social movement to strengthen pluralism in Pakistan in response to the prevailing culture of hatred and extremism. He said Peace is now a necessity which impacts everyone presently and in the future,”
He said that despite several difficulties, especially threats from terrorists and extremists, the struggle for equal rights would continue. He noted that laws were important but awareness at the local and national levels was also necessary.
Zahira Saleem said that peace does not have the luxury of being an option as the alternative to peace is scary, detrimental, and catastrophic.
Sardar Nedan Singh expressed, “I believe our people want peace but they are not clear about what constitutes peace for them and their communities.”
Fr. Zahid Augustine while agreeing that there were still many areas that need improvement expressed the view that things had improved at many levels.
Shakeel Khan Niazi said that peace and social harmony were not possible in a country where religion had become a tool to achieve personal and political goals.
Joseph Janssen criticized the government for appeasing banned organizations. “Laws exist to discourage hate speech and promote religious tolerance in Pakistan, but are not implemented. Things will not improve until the citizens stand up and reclaim the space that has been appropriated by ignorant and retrogressive forces who use religion for political purposes,” he said.
He said that all religions preach that there should be no violence against women, children, religious minorities, elderly persons, and non-combatants, yet women and children were murdered in Pakistan.
The commemoration came to a close with the distribution of awards to peace activists who had made significant contributions towards peace in their communities. The recipients included Fr. Khalid Rashid, Mufti Zahoor Ahmad, Mufti Sohail Shaukat, Mufti Rana Zaman, Prof Jalil Butt, Zahira Saleem, Mukhtar Joya DSP, and Murad.
