ISLAMABAD: Though the government has been trying to keep away the new generation from extremism, in the Swat valley pens resembling pistols, rocket launchers and knives are being sold to children without any check.

This was stated by a youth, Neelam Abrar, while speaking at a ‘National peace convention’ organised by a non- governmental organisation, Paiman, here on Thursday.

Ms Neelam, who is a college student in Saidu Sharif, added that she received training about the importance of peace in a workshop and then decided to promote awareness about it in her area.

“While visiting different parts of the valley I saw schoolchildren using toys which looked like weapons such as pistols, rocket launchers and knives,” she said.

“I approached a number of women and told them that such kinds of pens and toys can damage the personality of their children and make them violent.” Talking to Dawn, Ms Neelam said she also visited the government and private schools and observed that most of the students preferred using pencils and pens which looked like weapons.

“I saw children acting like the Taliban or the army personnel and talking about kidnapping and killing each other.”

In reply to a question, Ms Neelam said a shopkeeper told her that these toys were easily available at the local China market.

Another youth, Yasir Khan, who belonged to the Mohmand Agency, said though the government wanted to work in the Federally Administered Tribal Areas (Fata), local tribesmen did not allow development in their areas.

“In my village, the government decided to start a water supply scheme but the inhabitants opposed it. But I convinced them that they should welcome the establishment of the water supply scheme,” he said.

Abid Rehman from FR Kohat said the government once approved the construction of a new road in the area but some of the residents opposed it. Mr Rehman claimed that he created awareness among the locals about the importance of roads and finally the project was launched.

Neelam Khan, a resident of Mardan, said she participated in a training workshop about the effects pf polio and then decided to create awareness among women about the crippling disease.

“Once when a polio team reached my village, the people there did not allow them to administer the drops to children. I along with two friends, Samina and Shazia, visited different houses and told the women that if any child once got affected with the poliovirus, they would never be able to live a normal life,” she said.

“After taking the women into confidence, we went to the office of the assistant commissioner and told him that the women wanted to vaccinate their children,” she said.Member National Assembly Shaista Pervaiz Malik of the PML-N said Pakistan had been facing security challenges for over a decade and it was her dream to make the country violence free.

“I believe that women should play their role in promoting peace because they can understand the issue more,” she said.

Former information minister KP Mussarat Qadeem, who is the executive director Paiman, said the youth of the country, especially in KP, were being exploited in the name of religion, poverty and material resources.

Under the programme, “Communities waging peace: piece by piece” funded by the European Union awareness was being created among the youth to play their role in the promotion of peace in society.

Published in Dawn, September 19th, 2014