PESHAWAR/MINGORA: Speakers at a ceremony on Monday demanded of the government to remove hate material against religious minorities from the textbooks.

They held the education curricula responsible for the hatred against the minorities across the country, saying removal of such material was need of the hour.

The ceremony was organised by South Asia Partnership Pakistan (SAP-PK) in collaboration with Aurat Foundation (AF), Strengthening Participatory Organisations (SPO) and Sungi Development Foundation (SDF)inconnectionwithInternational Peace Day (IPD) at Peshawar Press Club to launch a campaign titled `Bolo Zimadari Say (speak with responsibility)`.

National Party provincial president Mukhtar Bacha, All Pakistan Hindo Rights Movement chairman Haroon Sarab Diyal, South Asia PartnershipPakistan representative Shajeel Ahmad, Barrister Hashim Raza, Advocate Shahab, senior journalist Shamim Shahid and former MNA Jameela Gilani.

They said that minorities in the country were even deprived of their human rights.

They said that minorities were even reluctant toraise voicefor theirrights because of fear.

The speakers criticised inclusion of hate material in the textbooks.

They said that democracy was the best way to eradicate all kinds of hatred and promote harmony and brotherhood in the society.

They said that successive rulers failed to establish democracy in its true form.

In Swat, a ceremony was organised by Peace for New Generation to mark International Peace Day.

The event was attended by youth, students and social activists in a large number.

The theme of this year`s commemoration is `Partnerships for peace -dignity for all` which is aimed at highlighting the importance of all segments of society to work together for peace.

`A society can only enjoy peace if everyone in it enjoys justice and human rights. Adopting violence toprevail peace is not the real solution,` said Neelam Chattan, the chairperson of Peace for New Generation.

She added that display of weapons in society nurtured violence in children minds.

She said that education was the only for restoration of durable peace a society. `For peaceful society we have to hand pen instead of gun to the new generation,` she added.

The speakers on the occasion expressed astonishment over celebrating wars and victories.

`Civilised and developed nations only celebrate their peace while we celebrate wars which I think is not the right way to do.

Our war heroes are respectable for us but projecting them in a way to bind them with wars by our media is not suitable as I understand,` said Bilawal Jamshed a youth activist.

The social activists said that people in Swat saw the ugly face of terrorism and extreme violence.

`We understand the meaning of peace in true sense as we have been affected by war and violence. Our elders, youth and children all can feel the importance of peace and want it in our area,` said Ahmad Shah, a social activist, who was chief guest on the occasion.