Pakistan’s city of Narowal, located near the Indian border, was the scene of an important peace initiative on May 6, 2025. At the University of Narowal, religious scholars, eduactors, media professionals, and policymakers gathered for the Narowal Peace Dialogue Forum, under the banner “Rejecting Hate, Rebuilding Peace.” This grassroots forum took place on the anniversary of the 2018 assassination attempt on Federal Minister for Planning and Development Ahsan Iqbal, who survived being shot during a gathering. The forum was a reminder of the need to build peace through engagement and mutual respect in an area that in the past has been shaken by violence, The Diplomatic Insight reported.
Pakistan’s Narowal Peace Dialogue Forum aimed to turn the memory of past violence into a platform for unity, as bitter polarization and extremist ideology threaten the nation’s social fabric. In his op-ed for The News International, Minister Iqbal said that Pakistan “stands at a crossroads,” and the forum aimed to “transform pain into purpose.” He warned that some groups were trying to “weaponize religion and politics,” noting that the cost of this intolerance is “not just political instability but the erosion of trust, community and the foundations upon which our country was built.”
Iqbal recounts how he could have lost his life in the 2018 attack, but instead he gained “a mission… to ensure that no other parent must bury a child lost to hate.” He tells young people “You are not the soldiers of anyone’s ideology but the builders of your own destiny. Let your hands raise books, not guns… Let your hearts remain open – to difference, dissent and humanity.”
Pakistan faces multiple challenges, from street-level mob violence to escalatory media and online terrorism and extremism. Accusations of “blasphemy” are used to incite violence, particularly against religious minorities and people with differing ideas, creating a dangerous environment for peacebuilders. Adding to this climate of insecurity is the recent conflict between Pakistan and India, which narrowly ended with a US brokered ceasefire. The ceasefire remains fragile, with certain measures in place, such as the suspension of trade and a water treaty, as well as the expulsion of diplomats.
In his op-ed, Iqbal reminded Pakistanis that their country is made of up several faiths and sects, “each woven into the fabric of our society.” He adds that children will now grow up learning that “disagreement is not enmity,” and that diversity is a strength, rather than a threat. Iqbal said that educational curriculum reform would include lessons on tolerance, civic responsibility, and the shared history of diverse groups.
Iqbal is not the only Pakistani leading the charge for change. In February 2025, The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) Pakistan, with support from Canada, organized a three-day training session on countering internet terrorism. Experts shared views on terrorist attack cycles, apps preferred by extremists, and case studies. Participants learned about tools such as advanced Google searching techniques that enabled people to discover sensitive internet information, capture essential security files, and explore vulnerabilities in systems.
Pakistan faces an uphill battle in turning hate into hope. However, grassroots activism has the potential to inspire profound change, as can be seen in other parts of the world. In Papua New Guinea, local women’s groups helped win an end to a civil war in the 1990s. Though this happened thousands of miles away, there are lessons to be learned from peacebuilders everywhere, including in Pakistan.
