Democratic Pakistan will impede extremism: Puniyani

Pakistan Observer
09 July, 2012
Democratic Pakistan will impede extremism: Puniyani
Staff Reporter

Karachi—A delegation of the All-India Secular Forum visited Khursheed Begum Secretariat of Muttahida Quami Movement (MQM) in Azizabad. The delegation was headed by the noted human rights activist and general secretary of the forum Prof Ram Puniyani. 

The delegation met deputy convener of the Co-ordination Committee Senator Mrs Nasrin Jalil. Members of the Co-ordination Committee Mr Kunwar Khalid Yunus and Mr Wasay Jalil were also present on the occasion.

Executive Director of the Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research Mr Karamat Ali, Secretary Managing Board PakistanInstitute of Labour Education and Research Mr MB Kutti, president of Pakistan-India Forum Mr Iqbal Butt, and Co-ordinator Human RightsCommission of Pakistan Mr Shamsuddin also accompanied with the delegation.

Prof Puniyani said that the feudal lords had significant influence in the subcontinent, and the feudal culture and mentality was still prevalent in Pakistan. He said that the extremism was a threat for the democracy and added that a strong and democratic Pakistan would be the biggest hurdle in the way of extremism.

Prof Puniyani said that the feudal culture had changed in India but there were still some states where feudalism had some influence. He said that feudalism had been eliminated from most of the states in India, but it would take considerable time before it was eliminated from Pakistan.

Mrs Jalil apprised the members of the delegation that the MQM was making struggle for eliminating feudalism from Pakistan by acting on the philosophy of realism and practicalism put forward by the MQM. Mrs Jalil said that Karachi contributed nearly 70 per cent revenue in the national exchequer, but the law and order situation in the city was being persistently disturbed.

Mr Wasay Jalil said that conspiracies had always been hatched to curb the popularity of the MQM but its public appeal was constantly increasing, and now its message was being echoed across the length and breadth of the country. Mr Wasay Jalil said that the MQM had always demonstrated its capacity to deliver whenever it got the opportunity. 

Citing the example of the former mayor of Karachi Mr Mustafa Kamal, he said that Karachi was brought at par with the developed cities of the world by tireless efforts during 2005 to 2008.

Provincial Minister Khalid Bin Wilayat, MPAs Manohar Lal, Rasheed Khan, members of the Central Executive Committee and Social Forum of the MQM were also present on the occasion.

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