All individuals in society, regardless of their race, ethnicity, language, or religious beliefs, decide to live in a specific region and make it their home. In this way, neighborhoods, towns, cities, and countries are formed. People remain engaged in efforts to improve their society by promoting respect, tolerance, and mutual assistance in times of hardship. Local laws, councils, assemblies, and governments are established at all levels to guide people in leading purposeful lives.
Democracy has been established as the best system in the political system. In most countries of the world, people have been made equal partners in power by adopting democracy.
If an individual in society chooses the path of violence and targets others for violence, the entire society views their actions with disdain and, according to prevailing laws, they are punished. There is no acceptance of their violent behavior at any level. Rather than individual status, any group in society that chooses the path of violence and targets others for violence based on any reason is brought to justice under the law. The state utilizes its resources to eliminate violence and takes measures to play its role in ending it. In this process, institutions enforce the law.
In today’s modern society, the causes of violence include regional, ethnic, religious, ideological, communal, and political factors. In addition, the lack of education, drug use, and sexual misconduct also contribute to the path of violence. The element of violence is becoming more prominent in our Pakistani society. Every day, incidents of various forms of violence are occurring, including violence against women and children. In addition, group violence is also increasing. Groups emerging from various regions are moving towards violence both individually and socially. The number of people who commit violence in the name of religion is also increasing. Here, the trend of punishing oneself by accusing others of religious blasphemy is increasing rapidly, in which intolerance and rejection of the law are becoming apparent. In a society where the rule of law is not established and disrespect for the law is evident, the society becomes a jungle where the powerful are seen to be doing their job. Such incidents are increasing in our beloved country.
In Pakistan, the level of national unity and education that is needed today did not exist before. There is a great need for education and unity among groups. Religion has not been able to bring this nation together, and instead, Muslims of Pakistan are divided into factions. Religious leaders focus on individual and personal beliefs rather than ideological differences. Although we have lost a part of Pakistan due to linguistic disputes, we have not learned from it, and our society is still divided in various forms. Political parties are established on regional and ethnic foundations, while national political parties are not strong enough. Experts in politics can shed light on the reasons behind this, but there is an urgent need to strengthen national political parties. There is an urgent need to create national harmony in the country. To achieve national harmony, a broad dialogue needs to begin with various forums and not just one forum. The National Assembly, the four provincial assemblies, and the Senate are present. The country’s universities, colleges, schools, and mosque platforms should also be utilized. Seminars should be organized. Provision of daily wages and mental grooming of the youth should also be arranged. The current government is doing commendable work in establishing a uniform standard in educational institutions, and it should be expanded and completed soon.
National dialogue is an essential requirement for ending societal violence. The government should play a fundamental role in this process by gaining the trust of political parties while keeping their own interests aside and pushing forward with discussions to achieve their objectives. In this regard, religious groups play a crucial role, as they can train their members in better ways and contribute significantly to ending violence in society.
At the societal level, there is a pressing need to promote the use of modern technology to provide recreational opportunities for the public. It is also important to promote sports to engage the youth in cultural and creative activities instead of promoting violence. This will increase the number of individuals who detest violence and can play a strong role in promoting peace and mutual respect in society.
Forums must be established from the level of the Union Council to the national level to promote dialogue so that every issue can be resolved through discussions, which can play a vital role in shaping our national identity. It is essential to identify foreign elements present in our society that play a significant role in causing societal unrest.
It is crucial to instill a love for the country among the youth, which is a significant factor above all other elements. The only way to do this is to initiate a national dialogue.