Unruliness & intolerance need to be curbed for overall unity & cohesion

ISLAMABAD, Mar 26 (APP):The disrespect to public figures by few unruly persons, may be a pointer to some underlying social
commotion but this must be curbed with stringent steps in order to ensure overall unity and cohesion
in the country.
Some recent shoes-hurling incidents have stirred a debate and the sane elements have
emphasized to figure out root-causes of the unruliness before it ruptures social fabric.
“The main reason among contributors to the entire emerging scenario are social injustice
and religious intolerance, leading the society towards violent extremism for which some corrective
measures on war footing basis, are required to be taken collectively,” said Senator Aurangzeb
Khan from Federally Administered Tribal Areas.
He said, ” Education – only right education – is the solution to establish a society with cohesive
approach to live and give right to live.”
The campaign of foul play should be bridled whether it is political, religious or related to personal
interests, he said and called for strong legislation and its strict implementation in this regard.
He stressed for holding consultation over the issue and come up with decisive solution as it was
feared that the game of defamation may become ‘hot topic’ for media in the next general election.
Federal Minister for Parliamentary Affairs Sheikh Aftab Ahmad urged the public to respect the
sanctity of vote. The recent acts of showing disrespect against political figures in a violent manner,
were repugnant to the teachings of Islam and moral values, he noted.
The minister also suggested to the politicians to show restraint and avoid such statements that
may hurt the public sentiments.
Former leader of the Upper House in the Senate Raja Zafar Ul Haq warned that sinister elements
and opportunists could take the advantage of such situations, leading to civil disturbance.
The leadership of all political parties should show restraint while delivering statements as the
situation was sensitive to the country’s democratic system and overall national behaviour, he added.
Pakistan Bar Council member Maqsood Buttar called for the adoption of reformative as well as
deterrent approach by adding defamation related punishments in Pakistan Penal Code as existing law
of Tort had insubstantial implementation in the country as compared to the civilized societies of the world.
“If someone, who disagrees with ideology of a party, does not need to vote for it rather than taking
the law into hands,” he remarked.
The lives of the unruly activists were at at risk due to physical torture from supporters for which a
new law may be enacted, he suggested.
A psychiatrist Sundas Ali, pleading sympathy to those involved in such incidents, said such reactions
only showed frustration, besides a desire to seek public attention.
A sociologist associated with Peshawar University said it was was not a sudden scenario.
“Unfortunately frustration and deprivation that we have sowed over the years is now in its full boom”.
Legislation, he said, might not help in addressing the issue but the only solution lay in a reformative
society to lessen the difference of the rich and the poor, and the powerful and the vulnerable.
Bad or poor governance and political system’s failure to deliver were major factors for growing intolerance
among public. This is a time to come up with a way forward to work on a practical solution to the intolerance,
he said.