KARACHI, Feb 11: Governor of Sindh Dr Ishratul Ibad Khan, on Friday urged the people to work for the true spirit of Islam. Speaking as chief guest at the concluding session of "Sindh Provincial Youth Convention, 2005" at the University of Karachi, Dr Ibad said: "We must have courage to check those who are distorting our perception of Islam and exploiting youths."

Dr Ibad stressed the need of promoting a process of thinking, dialogue and consultations at all levels. Actual reason behind the deterioration in our society, he said, is that we are not ready to adopt the process of reconciliation and hold deliberations with open an mind.

He lamented that people most of the time evolve a direction without knowing real issues or their root cause and without assessing their consequences. "We are faced with a number of issues, some of which include extremism which has taken roots in our society, and it needs to be addressed on priority," the governor added.

He was disgusted over the role of clerics who, according to him, with some exceptions, keep on telling "dos and don'ts" on the basis of their limited knowledge, which can breed hatred and intolerance among people.

However, he noted that things have started changing now, as people, though limited, have started showing resistance against such people. The governor said that the youth were the backbone of the country as they through their conviction, commitment and positive attitudes can pull the nation out of the present situation.

Youth should not be driven away by emotions or allow others to impose their will, faith or beliefs on them, he remarked. He said that after the screening of a number of terrorists caught in the province, it was revealed that most of them were educated youths, who, actually, resorted to criminal activities or adopted a wrong direction due to their frustrations.

"The mastermind exploited the youths with a reference of religion, which is uncalled for," he added. He observed that the issue of unemployment needed to be addressed on priority as causes socio-economic problems and also creates room for articulate use of frustrated youths, who are vulnerable.

He said that the potential of the youth should be channelized properly. The governor handed over cash prize and shields to three top position holders of the youth convention on behalf of the organizers, and announced a cash award of Rs 25000 for each of them.

The vice-chancellor of the University of Karachi, Dr Pirzada Qasim, said that students from different universities participated in the convention and talked on different issues with a greater zeal. He hoped that such moots would be held by the government in the future as well.

Sindh minister for sports and culture Qamar Mansoor said that his deparment would be holding an international youth convention in Karachi soon. Malahat Kaleem Sherwani, chairperson of the Library and Information Science department, who was also the convener of the convention, Mazharul Haq Siddiqui, vice chancellor of the Sindh University, Prof Tanveer Khalid, Dr Zareen Siddiqui of the Higher Education Commission and participating students, Hiba Tohid, Asra Jaffery, Arif Amin also spoke.