Harmony and Peace Education in Pakistan: Focus on Pctb Textbooks of History and Pakistan Studies

Textbooks produce specific minds so are believed the best way to promote peace and harmony in a society. Policymakers draw ideological lines for specific goals and educate the coming generations through the contents of the textbooks. Whatever agenda a nation has, peace and social harmony cannot be compromised so syllabi mean to promote nationalism along with integration. Although history and social studies textbooks address coexistence and tolerance but even then many writers share their reservations about some points. K K Aziz (1993) in Pakistan castigated the governments and the textbook authors on ‘distortion’ of the historical events and deleting important segments of history from the syllabi. Mariam Chughtai shared her reservation regarding the textbooks being published in Pakistan. Romila Thapar in India raised objections against the BJP government’s effort of ‘religionising the syllabi’ and tried her best to introduce non-communal approach based on social harmony in the textbooks while writing history books but her effort remained a mere desire because the ‘religiously’ extremist political party occupying the main corridor of the national government and having no compatibility with her ideas refused to accept the undisputed historical facts. Dr. Mubarak Ali opined while writing on the textbooks that ‘defective textbooks create a defective mindset. Ideology limits people from acquiring new knowledge in order to understand the fast changing world’ (Dawn, April 16, 2016). ‘National History’ reflects national point of view to produce a generation who represents some specific land, culture, religion, political ideology, art and social ethics. Children are taught to grow with their own culture, religion and social norms. This study finds that syllabus of the subjects of History and Pakistan Studies produced by the Punjab Curriculum and Textbook Board (PCTB) aims at educating the ‘national interpretation of history along with respect for other religious groups’ to the posterity therefore no gaps seem in the textbooks of History and Pakistan Studies. Criticism arises mostly on the old textbooks while the PCTB had revised the textbooks massively and all the historical periods including Indus Valley Civilization, ancient India, Sikh rule, etc. Are being taught at the school and college level. The ‘history textbook’ is not a ‘history’ rather it offers interpretation of the historical events. This article further pinpoints some issues such as communal interpretations in the British India, space in the textbooks, administrative, social, political and religious narrations, and the undeniable position on nationalism and patriotism which cannot be overlooked. The textbooks are playing their role in promoting social harmony and this policy has resulted in a coexistence, tolerance and peace in the society.

Human Rights As a Catalyst of Social Change, Their Dynamics, Problems & Prospects in Pakistan and the Role of Judiciary

Nature has blessed every individual with a sense of self-respect and equality. Socially it has been titled as rights and constitutionally they are termed as fundamental & basic human rights. Therefore, Constitution of almost every state contains provisions for fundamental human rights. However, pragmatically enforcement of basic Human Rights are subject to independence of judiciary with prerequisites of rule of law, democracy and good governance, thereforeinthe contemporary world majority of statesincluding Pakistan, are moving towards rule of law ,democracy and good governance through judicial reforms where as human rights have become catalyst of social change in variety of political systems besides diversity of viewpoints of political and legal scholarsthe real consensus is thathighest degree of human rights protection mean rapid progression in social change and enhancement of the independence of judiciary. With this background, the study evaluates the role of judiciary in promotion and protections of fundamental human rights through comprehensive understanding of the existing height of abuse of human rights in Pakistan. For this purpose, qualitative research method has been applied.The study finally establishes an undeniable fact that completely an autonomous judicial system is essential for protection of human rights through rule of law, democracy and good governance in Pakistan. The study in hand, is an academic contribution in the growing field of transitional justice, comparative law, and political literature concerning human rights, judicial independence and rule of law.