News
Monday, April 18, 2011
‘Terrorism to increase unless democracy strengthened’
By Haris Hanif
KARACHI: Speakers at a seminar titled ‘Impact of Extremism on the Working Class’, said terrorism would increase in the country unless civil society and democracy were strengthened.
They said that terrorism was expected to weaken when the current government came into power in 2008 after elections, however, statistics reveal that it rose in the last three years and there were chances that it will rise further in the days to come.
They said the rights of union making have been snatched from labourers, adding, most of the labourers were not getting the minimum salary of Rs 7,000 as fixed by the government while those getting it were working extra hours.
They said that a lack of political will is the main hindrance in providing due rights to the labourers.
Karachi University’s International Relations Professor Dr Naeem Ahmed, Syed Shamsuddin from the Human Rights Commission of Pakistan (HRCP) and labour leaders spoke on this occasion.
Sindh Hari Porhiyat Council President Punhal Sario said Rs 7,000 was not enough for a labourer in the inflation that prevails today. He said peasants and labourers were not being treated as human and were deprived of their basic human rights.
Speakers at the seminar observed that the state itself was complicit in usurping people’s rights and promoting an elite centric model of development. Denying people the right to have a say in national life has promoted divisions and frictions in society,
In his presentation on extremism/terrorism, Dr Naeem Ahmed elaborated on causes and factors associated with terrorism. He argued to dispel the myth that terrorism has roots in poverty. He also observed that there are greater chances of extremism to grow in quasi democracies than in complete authoritarian regimes. He pointed out that statistics show that since the instatement of the current democratic government, there has been a consistent rise in terrorism, which could be attributed to the non serious-attitude of the government towards the issue.
Syed Shamsuddin regretted that labour has no representation in the parliament and decision-making structures of the country. He also observed that organised workers were becoming a minority in Pakistan. He urged for a redefinition of the legal structure addressing labour issues.
Courtesy www.dailytimes.com.pk