The education and curriculum policies should be reviewed to remove lessons and subjects discriminatory, derogatory and inflammatory against the minority faiths/ religions.

Moreover, a group of independent historians should be assigned to stem out distortions of historical facts in the textbooks.The speakers at a consultation also demand that the political parties aspiring to contest elections should embark on clear initiatives directed towards representing religious diversity in real terms. Insaf Network Pakistan and National Commission for Justice and Peace (NCJP) had organised the event focusing “Biased Textbooks and Education policy.”

The speakers discussing NCJP’s study ‘Taleem ya Nafrat ki Aabiyari’ (Education or fanatic literacy), demanded political parties to concretely analyse issues related to education and pervasive religious intolerance in the country. They recommended that party manifestos before the elections seeking electorates’ support should reflect respective party’s vision for long-term solution to the menace to extremism.

The study originally done in Urdu examines 22 textbooks for the academic year 2012-13, under use in the provinces of Punjab and Sindh for grades 1-10. It says there are 55 chapters containing hate against Hindus and Christians, insulting remarks against the minority religions and distorted historical facts.The speakers condemned the media for playing biased role and criticised the Punjab government for bowing down before such voices. Later the Punjab government Chief had reversed the decision of removing Islamic chapters and Allama Iqbal’s poems from the schools’ syllabus.

Educationist Dr A H Nayyar said Urdu is a compulsory subject that is taught to every Muslim and non-Muslim student so religious content should not be included in major subjects as compelling the non-Muslim to read Islamic contents is a violation of the constitution. The subjects other than religious studies should not have lessons and exercises about religion or should be inclusive of other religions without discrimination and bias against any one.

He said experts drafting textbooks are not subject experts and they only keep check on ideological and religious concepts rather than on subject details thus often the books are full of mistakes. NCJP Executive Director Peter Jacob maintained that the textbooks are not only blind to the fact that Pakistan is a multi-religious country but also carry several distortions, angling and twisting of history. He said the textbooks either remain silent regarding other religious groups or give preference to only one faith group and heavily rely on the rhetoric that Hindus opposed while Muslims favoured creation of Pakistan.

And during partition only Muslims faced violent attacks, loss of life and property, whereas Muslims did not take part in this bloodshed. Joint Director SAP Irfan Mufti noted biased syllabus, discriminatory laws and policies as chief reasons behind growing extremism and incidence of violence against minority religions and sects.

This curriculum has produced a nation that is a threat not only to its own people but also to the world community. He said things have come to a point that now people don’t listen to others nor debate on any issue and believe on mob justice. Peace and Development Foundation Executive Director Romana Bashir said the education policies and the curriculum were developed by the ruling elites to prolong their rules and they had nothing to do with the education of people.

This education system is promoting hatred towards other religions and sects and leading the country nowhere. She regretted that the in this country, history was murdered badly and religious concepts of other religions were included in textbooks in a non-serious and insulting manner and the progressive and secular parties also did not do anything to review the system.Director Policy and Programmes at Jinnah Institute Raza Rumi said the society has become so conservative that people afraid even to talk about the change in the curriculum as anyone can blame such people of committing blasphemy.

Poet and Writer Khalique was of the view that no political party is willing to change the biased education system and curriculum because they are afraid of few people who have been controlling all the system and even media also support them. He said in 2009 when the National Education Policy was drafted a chapter regarding Islamic education was included in the policy at the eleventh hour that was not discussed before on the pressure of certain quarters.

Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aagahi (ITA) Executive Director Dr Baela Raza Jamil said the education policy and curriculum is sick and faulty and it has no basis after devolution. She suggested to raise collective voices and to speak out against discriminatory education policies that disproportionately impact marginalised communities.