Dialogue is the Clue to Solving Conflicts: A Dialogue Forum at UOG

Social change can be truly effected by changing values of a society. There are three possible avenues of change, the individual, the state and the society. But in my opinion the true matrix of change is society which enfolds the individual and the state.The bedrock of a social organism is the underlying system of cultural values, social mores and ideologies. For any effective transformation of a society these ideas, values and ideologies ought to be negotiated. The modern operation for this transformation is dialogue, debate and democratization. It is the peaceful road to evolution with out entering the bourne of a bloody revolution. Durable Social transformations are best affected by democratic processes of Dialogue. These ideas were expressed by Mr Khursheed Nadeem Chairman Organization for Research and Education ORE while addressing a meeting of the “Dialogue Forum” in the University ofGujrat (UOG).

 Mr Khursheed said that socially well knit and cohesive society is a guarantee for peace and development. A disrupted conflicting violent society creates anarchy. Pakistan today is unfortunately the victim of ruthless exploitation, lawlessness and rampant social evils. Further more there is sharp polarization and division of populace on ethnic, linguistic and religious grounds. These parochial identities being pronounced in the absence of a unitary cohesive national consciousness have resulted into violence, bloodshed, terrorism, causing irreparable damage to the body politic of Pakistan. Now how to bail out of this bloody situation. To my mind Dialogue is the only way left to wriggle out of this unwarranted situation. Director Media and Publications UOG Sheikh Abdul Rashid opined that for a cohesive, stable and unified society we need to enter into a dialogue with conflicting ideologies and opinions. Universities are the loci for resolving such socio-cultural conflicts. Abdul Hafeez was of the opinion that Dialogue is an immensely useful democratic device for resolving conflicts. Ms Farah Fauziasaid that we are taking the message of love and peace to the universities which is to adopt the method of Dialogue in resolving conflicts.

Syed Shabeer Hussain Shah said that every society is structured on certain underlying system of ideas, beliefs and ideologies. With the passage of time these systems need change for progressive development of society. In the absence of democratic processes like dialogue, they may burst into violent conflicts and insurrections and bloody revolutions. Mr Shahid Minhas pointed towards ground realities prevalent in a social order. These must be effectively addressed, for any durable change. In the house Imran Masood, Imran Zia, Janaat, Asghar Husain, Hajra, Umer Ali, Fatima, Remeesa, Mubashar, FerozeJameel, Farwa, Safia, Zainab and Maryam expressed their ideas fully and pitched many interesting and useful questions. MrKhursheedNadeem in his epilogue redefined different themes contested by the participants but refused to provide any answer. This he said is the jurisdiction of continual dialogue which slowly and gradually will unfold answers, to these momentous questions.  

 source:www.uog.edu.pk