Federal Education Minister and Professional Training Shafqat Mahmood has said all federating units including Gilgit-Baltistan and Azad Jammu Kashmir (AJK) were jointly working with the federal government on uniform national curriculum.

Addressing policy dialogue on “Religious Inclusion and respect for diversity in education system” organized by Centre for Social Justice, Idara-e-Taleem-o-Aaghai and Pakistan Coalition for Education here on Tuesday, he said that the government was determined to develop uniform national curriculum as it was part of party manifesto as well.

Shafqat Mahmood said that Prime Minister Imran Khan was talking about it from very beginning. He said that it would be first time in country’s history that they have introduced uniform national curriculum.

“We have to accomplish something which would be remarkable,” the minister added.

He said the government included all the provinces actively in the process, adding that Sindh province was also fully supporting the uniform national curriculum.

Shafqat said not only this but many other areas needed to be focused on. He said, “We are also working with ‘Wafaq-ul-Madaris’ on it and also associated with elite schools system”.

This issue required serious thinking and his ministry would organise national conference to discuss issues related to languages.

However, the minister said Pakistan is not a single language country as there are many languages and diversity.

Shafqat Mahmood said the government and particularly Prime Minister Imran Khan has very strong stance on the issues related to tolerance. He said, “We should accept and open our hearts for diversity in the country”.

The minister said every child should read same thing either going to elite school or government school. He expressed pleasure that a lot of people have accepted the importance of single National curriculum.

He said the government was also determined that nothing would be based on hatred in the curriculum, adding that they would have to end the class division in education.

The panel discussion was also attended by Executive Director, Centre for Social Justice Peter Jacob, Munizee Jahangir, Nighat Lone, Dr Baela Raza Jamil, Musharraf Zaidi, Wajiha Akram, Dr Qibla Ayaz, Harris Khalique, Dr Sughra Chaudhry Khan, Khursheed Nadeem, Dr Muhammad Zia ul Haq, Amjad Nazeer, Prof Dr Riaz Ahmed Shaikh, Prof Anjum James Paul, Tahira Abdullah and Shunila Ruth, Parliamentary Secretary for Religious Affairs and Interfaith Harmony.