Daily Times

Rights based NGOs and media which play critical role in protecting human rights have come under increasing State pressure with the result that no organized voice is raised against the hounding of minorities who were left more vulnerable than ever before. This was stated by former senator Farhatullah Babar at a seminar on the media projection of non-Muslims point of view in a local hotel in Islamabad. Building of intellectual infrastructure based on discussion, debate, dissent and plurality is more important in fighting militancy than security infrastructure that allows neither dissent nor plurality, he said. Intellectual infrastructure however will not be built by summoning vice chancellors and academics to the GHQ for a lecture, but by promoting free discussion and debates in universities and academic institutions.