SWABI, Jan 24: Human rights activist and head of the Gender Studies Department of the Quaid-i-Azam University, Islamabad Prof Dr Farzana Bari has demanded of the government to establish its writ in Swat and stop extremists from blocking women education there.

Talking to Dawn here on Saturday she said she failed to understand why the government failed to establish its writ in Swat where military operation against militants continued unabated for a long time.

Democracy is the only panacea of all evils and we have to strengthen democratic culture and institutions, she said, adding army should also support democratic process.

To a question she said illiteracy did not breed extremism rather it was government’s wrong policies which created the scenario, adding there was dire need of joining hands to overcome the confronting problems.

To another question she said the public sector universities should be modernised to cope with the emerging challenges.

She said that children of the elite class either studied in the distinguished institutions or they went abroad, which caused major setback to the public sector institutions.

Ms Bari said there was still motivation in our society to bring changes and latest example was the lawyers’ movement for restoration of the deposed chief justice.

She said the main focus of the Gender Studies Department was to work on how the societies cooperated in different fields, how the equality between men and women could be achieved and how to change the mindset.

To a question she said the structure of the welfare bodies and social set up was weak and they failed to deliver the outlined objectives.

Ms Bari added that changing mindset of the society was not an overnight affair but rather it needed time and dedication.