Tolerance is need of every segment of society

F.P. Report

ISLAMABAD: Leader of the House in Senate Senator Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq has said that no political, social or economic agendas should justify discrimination and extremism and modern democracy needs to display the art of carrying all segments of society under one umbrella of tolerance and justice.

He made these remarks while speaking at the inaugural session  of a workshop on pluralism vs exclusivism, the case of rising extremism in India organised by the Institute of Policy studies in Islamabad on Thursday.

Raja Muhammad Zafar-ul-Haq observed that the time is right to prioritise notions of equality and human rights above all other matters and the growing social, political and technological progress should reflect itself as a widespread model of pluralism and not that of the currently prevailing exclusionism. He remarked while addressing the participants that the Holy Quran and Sunnah of Rasool Allah are full of messages that advocate the notion of pluralism.

While talking on the case of India, he said that rising extremism in India is an indicator of a democracy skewing from its core principles of equality and India who calls itself the biggest democracy of South Asia is treading on undemocratic paths. He said that democracy is expected to reflect varying opinions and sentiments of society into a uniform reflection that serves all factions.

Former Ambassador Abdul Basit and DG IPS also spoke on the occasion.