KARACHI, Sept 30: Provincial Minister for Health, Maj-Gen Ahsan Ahmed (R) has pointed out that terrorism has existed in the world in one form or another, but the world waited to fight against it until Sept 11, 2001.

He said this at the inauguration of an exhibition of Shehla Rehman’s art works on the menace of terrorism at a hotel here.

Ahsan Ahmed said some countries may define terrorism according to their own likes and dislikes, but the fact remains that terrorism is a danger to world peace — be it state terrorism or terrorism by groups.

He said one should differentiate between terrorism and wars for independence, citing Kashmir, Palestine, Bosnia and Chechnya as examples.

Ahmed said the world should take notice of repression being carried out against those struggling for their independence.

Shehla’s display depicted the frightful effects of terrorism and violence against humanity, as well as various social evils such as Karo Kari, rape, violence against women, the use of children in camel races, domestic violence and the flesh trade.

A large number of art lovers, intellectuals, critics, writers, human rights activists, anti-terrorism protagonists, besides diplomats of the US, Japan, Korea, Turkey, Sri Lanka and other countries visited the exhibition and admired the subject as portrayed by the artist through her paintings.

Earlier, artist Shehla Rehman said that she conceived the idea of waging her struggle against terrorism and other social evils of society through her paintings after she saw men and women dying in the attacks on Sept 11 and the killings of thousands of men, women and children at the hands of terrorists the world over.

She recalled her earlier exhibition held in Islamabad, and said that it was well received by all segments of society, particularly the intelligentsia.—APP