LAHORE: The representatives of media, civil society and concerned citizens on Friday condemned the barbaric massacre of students and teaching staff of the Army Public School in Peshawar and termed it a crime against humanity.

At a gathering at SAFM, leaders of the civil society expressed grief over lot of blood that had been shed of our innocent people and the brutal killing of 133 children, and demanded all patrons, perpetrators, ideologues, activists and supporters of terrorism be brought to justice at every cost.

“The future of our hope once again calls upon all of us to revisit all of our dangerous policies and ideologies that have made a section of our youth barbaric murderers and other a victim,” they said and adopted a resolution, calling terrorism, religious extremism and sectarian fanaticism the principal threat to our existence as a civilized people and nationhood.

Unfortunately, terrorism is rooted in our history, religious misrepresentation, state policies, erroneous security paradigms and use of religion for political objectives and misguiding syllabus and literature in both madaris, public and private schools.

The state institutions, various governments, some religious and sectarian parties and a section of media, academia, sections of clergy in particular, have been pursuing, patronizing and supporting most misguided policies, including Talibanization, militarization, sectarian frenzy and terrorism in the name of ‘jihad’ and ‘qattal’.

These policies have resulted in the creation of parallel power structures, blood thirsty militias, sectarian divides and implosion of state and society from within and, thanks to extra-territorial agendas and terrorist safe havens, they have brought Pakistan into a dangerous conflict with all of its neighbors and the international community.

By persistently hiding behind the conspiracy theories, foreign hand and self-denial, both state and sections of our society did not allow for self-evaluation and critical introspection.

All violent religious and sectarian ideologies, terrorist militias and hate materials that promote violence must be proscribed and a paradigm of democratic, humane, pluralist, tolerant nationhood should be constitutionally, legally, culturally and academically promoted.

A comprehensive and holistic counter-terrorism strategy should be adopted to not only physically eliminate terrorism, annihilate all private sectarian/religious/ethnic militias, but also transform the ideological, social and cultural space that produces and nourishes violent and fanatic mindset.

The curriculum in both madaris and public schools that promotes hate, fanaticism, sectarianism, bigotry and violence must be changed and education reform must be undertaken at all levels and forms of education. An open cultural policy be encouraged that helps promote and polish the talent of our youth in performing arts, sports and literary spheres.

Published in Dawn December 20th , 2014