Extremism emerged as a big challenge: Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo

Lahore: Chief of the National Party (NP) Senator Mir Hasil Khan Bizenjo on Friday said our society is going through a touch time which needs immediate attention for the sake of proper transformation.He said that successive incapable leaders have transformed Pakistan into an intolerant country where terror rules while there is no respect of law of the land and accountability.

Mir Hasil Bizenjo said that our streets are filled with people who are perfectly capable of working but want to beg to make a living as it is easier while divide between rich and poor continue to increase.

Speaking to a ceremony to honour famous progressive poet Khalid Alig’s book, “Guftugo Awam Sai Hai,” he said that how can a country progress when poets like Faiz, Jalib and Sipra are considered villains while murderers like Qadri are regarded as heroes.

The Senator said there is growing realisation that extremism is becoming a major challenge for the country. Apart from its consequences on matters of law and order and security, which the country has been facing for over a decade, it has also penetrated the public discourse and policy formulation but steps to contain remain far from satisfactory.

Intolerance has a stranglehold on society and the space for free and open dialogue has shrunk, even in intellectual circles, he added.

Speaking at the occasion, NP Punjab President and others paid tributes to the deceased poet. They said that Alig was a committed leftist but he never officially joined the progressive movement.

He remained associated with various labour unions. He was imprisoned for taking part in such activities. A gentleman to his fingertips, Alig was known in certain circles as a dervish, an ascetic who looked down upon the rat race and never compromised on his principles.

He had never accepted monetary help from anyone throughout his life and he did not wish to do so even though he needed it. Till his death, he lived in his small and old house.