Youth of Pakistan can play significant role to redress the contemporary challenges we are confronted with, especially to combat with growing extremism in the society. “We need to empower our youth and equip them with fresh ideas of peace, tolerance, justice and co-existence”, was the crux of speeches delivered by various speakers at the launching ceremony of survey reports “Civic Health of Pakistani Youth” and “Youths' Review of Counter Extremism Policy in Pakistan,” by Centre for Civic Education Pakistan here on Thursday
Nazar Hussain Mehar, Secretary Ministry of Youth affairs, on the occasion said that many forces have destroyed the very fabric of our society. Quality education and youth empowerment have been neglected and the result is growing extremism, he added. Renowned scholar Dr. Tariq Rehman said that social, political economic justice may ensure better equilibrium among the people of Pakistan . He said that youth has a significant role in present dismal situation and we need to impart civic education to secure better future.
Shabana Fayayz, teacher of Quaid-i-Azam University said that the best investment under current scenario would be empowering the youth. She added that we need to realize that we are surrounded by multiple crises and we can not meet these challenges effectively without an active participation of the youth as a catalyst of change.
Zafarullah Khan, Executive Director of the Centre presented the salient features of both the reports. He informed the audience that youth of Pakistan has shown mixed trends vis-à-vis political participation, basic civic awareness and volunteerism. The report suggest that youth is also vulnerable to extremist approaches and propaganda and issue demands serious corrective measures from the policy makers as well as civil society of the country.
According to the survey results the youth are more comfortable in sharing their viewing with friends as 69.5 percent of them ticked this option. An overwhelming majority of the youth (61.8 percent) have faith in democracy and peaceful change as they believe that their vote can be a catalyst for change. An amazing majority of youth (72.6 percent) are willing to get involved in volunteerism. Again male youth are more eager to do voluntary work than females as 73.7 percent male against 71.5 percent female are willing to be engaged in volunteerism. Majority of the respondents (60.8 percent) have a desire to work for social organizations while 32.7 percent want to work for religious institutions. Only 17 percent are willing to do voluntary work for political parties.
A vast majority of youth (69.6 percent) believe that extremism is on the rise among youth. Overwhelming majority of 85.4 percent believe that the youth of Pakistan can play a constructive role in combating growing extremism in the society. The level of optimism for building walls against extremism is almost the same among male and female youth as 85.8 percent male and 85.5 percent female have the confidence that youth can play a role in combating rising extremism in Pakistan .
Responding to query regarding freedom of expression, interestingly only 4.5 percent affirmatively said that they can freely express themselves at a religious institution. Its ironic that majority of the youth (64.5 percent) are unaware about the existence of any formal youth policy in Pakistan or in AJK. Only 35.5 percent knew that the government has recently approved a policy for youth.
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