Baacha Khan Trust Educational Foundation

1. I. Background

Since 1947 the province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the adjacent tribal areas have been exposed to political suppression by the new establishment. This was mainly because of the religious ideology and foreign policy adopted by the Pakistani elite to keep them in power by suppressing democratic culture and to counter the process of politicization through religion and the clergy. An antagonistic foreign policy towards India and Afghanistan further strengthened the dictatorial regimes in the country and thus people living on the peripheries such as KPK, FATA and Baluchistan were either directly administered by military rules or undemocratic puppet regimes.  Due to the religious state ideology the clergy took the advantage and has been able to influence the masses through mosques and madrasas. The Strategic Depth Policy of the establishment to gain further influence in Afghanistan and across forced the population in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA towards more dogmatism and disbelief on pragmatic values and rule of law. The Afghan war further led the area towards chaos and introduced drugs trafficking, Kalashnikov culture, heroine mafias and warlordism. The huge refugees’ influx into FATA and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa from Afghanistan severely disturbed the socio-economic fabric and increased the number of religious seminaries for preaching Jihadism and training the militants. When the post Cold War Afghanistan witnessed the rise of Taliban it was mainly from Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA that the Taliban received support due to the presence of majority of ethnic Pashtuns in the area. While the 9/11 forced the international community to reach a consensus on the definition of terrorism, the area witnessed increased militancy from non-state actors such the Taliban and Al-Qaida operatives. It was during this time that the alliance of religious parties the Muthaida Majlisea Amal (MMA) came to power through clean sweep and by sidelining the secular and moderate political forces. During this time the federal government continued to show a soft corner for the militants in FATA and the provincial government remained apologetic of the Taliban and Al-Quaida militants. Thus militants grew in number and their strongholds and networks established in settled areas as well such as Swat and Malakand. The new political government in Pakistan and especially in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa got the support of the masses to bring an end to the deteriorating law and order situation and ever-increasing terrorism. Thus series of military operations have been started in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and FATA which have somehow reduced terrorist incidents but the threat persists.

The main reason for increased militancy and lawlessness in the province and FATA has been either willing or forceful support of the militant ideology or an indifference towards the terrorists and their activities. This indifference is itself the byproduct of long-term indoctrination and propagation of anti democratic sentiments. The worst affected are the educated middle class and youth who are under the impression that US is responsible for all their miseries and their life can only be brought to normalcy if the Jews and Christians were defeated. They have no faith in western type of democracy save using it as a short cut to power and privileges.

As this educated middle class and youth is the back bone of the society and the conduit of all types of discourses, their engagement in critical debates about democracy, rule of law, and civic rights is of utmost importance.  Without eliminating their indifference and driving them towards democratic pursuit, huge human catastrophes cannot be prevented and war against terror cannot be won. Thus a vibrant civil society and spirited youth can gradually turn the tide of radicalism and wild conflicts in the region.

1. II. Project Justification

The Project is an improved version of the pilot project “Promoting Youth Participation for Positive Social Change Pakistan” which the Baacha Khan Trust Educational Foundation (BKTEF) is undertaking with the support of National Endowment for Democracy (NED). The pilot project was initially designed to provide spaces of expression to the youth of KP and FATA by engaging them in sports competitions, debates, open discussions, music and poetry. The pilot phase of the project remained successful as more such activities could be seen on the ground. Replication of the activities and generation of a pluralist democratic discourse among the college and university students in the project locations encouraged the Project Management Team of the BKTEF to carry forward expanded version of the project both content wise and location wise. Hence it was realized that if young and middle age group among the civil society are involved in the project, the initial project objectives could be improved and better impacts created in the long run. Thus the focus of the project may be shifted to strengthening civil society in general while Young having age group [21- 30] and Middle having age group   [31-40] among the civil society shall be targeted in all the activities of the project. Both horizontal and vertical expansion of the project is envisioned in the present document.

1. III. Project Objectives:

To reinvigorate local civic and cultural institutions to promote a more pluralistic and tolerant democratic discourse among civil society in Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa and FATA by strengthening civil society organizations through capacity build up in Pluralism, Democracy, Rule of Law and Human Rights.

Specific Objectives:

1. To encourage learning, discussion, dialogue and application of knowledge and information among large sections of the society.
2. To facilitate intelligentsia to operate pragmatically within the Civil Society by generating organized debates, discussions and dialogue on democracy, pluralism, rule of law and human rights.
3. To build capacity of Civil Society Organizations in democracy, human rights, rule of law and pluralism.

Note: Logical Framework Matrix is attached.

1. IV. PROJECT ACTIVITIES:

In order to carry forward the project activities, cluster level approach shall continue. However, the BTKEF divides the region into four program clusters, each of which will be handled by a separate office that will be responsible for project implementation in its designated area.  Cluster 1 encompasses Peshawar, Charsadda, Mardan, Swabi, Nowshera, Khyber Agency, Bajaur Agency and Mohmand Agency. Cluster 2 includes Bannu, Dera Ismail Khan, Hangu, Karak, Kohat, Lakki Marwat, Tank, and South Waziristan Agency.  Cluster 3 covers Abbottabad, , Mansehra, Shangla, ,  Tor Ghar, Batagram, and Haripur and Cluster 4 Covers Buner, Kohistan, Swat, Chitral, Upper and Lower Dir and Malakand Agency.

Proposed revised project activities are:

1. Collection and Publication of Learning Material: Learning Resources such as books, pamphlets, posters and stickers on the relevant topics of peace, democracy and pluralism shall be collected or published to be used from time to time in the project to generate debates, discussions and dialogue.
2. 2. Seminars: The Foundation shall arrange four seminars in each cluster by inviting members of the civil society from each district within the cluster. The topic of these seminars shall be “Peace, Democracy and Pluralism”. These will be one day seminars in which at least 10 participants from each district (total 100 selected/identified participants Age Group 20 to 40) in the cluster shall participate. The participants shall be preferably those youth who had taken part in the pilot phase of the project. Moreover, different sections of the educated middle class such as doctors, teachers, lawyers, journalists, businessmen, writers, poets, university students etc. shall also be invited to the seminars.  In the seminars, intellectual input through speeches, debates and published material shall be provided. Reports of the seminars may later be published in the shape pamphlets for wiser dissemination that will help substantially to construct an alternative discourse.
3. 3. Group Discussions at the District Level: In each district, selected civil society members (preferably those who had participated in the seminars at the cluster level) shall be engaged in Group Discussion on the topics “Mediation, Dialogue and Civic Responsibilities”. The Group Discussion shall have an audience of 50 to 100 participants (Age Group 20-40) belonging to different sections of civil society. Electronic media such as FM Channels shall be involved in these debates for mass level dissemination of the debates. The participants shall also be provided published materials related to the core objectives of the project.
4. 4. Formation of Study Circles: The project shall encourage study circles within different sections of the civil society. At least 5 Study Circles per district shall be established by preferably involving the youth and middle age, both male and female. Books, reports of the seminars and CDs of the debates held in the Group Discussions shall be provided to these study circles on the relevant themes.
5. 5. Capacity building of Civil Society Organizations: One week Trainings for at least per cluster 10 selected grass roots level CSOs shall be organized in Democracy, Pluralism, Conflict Resolution, Good Governance and Leadership Skills. The selected CSOs shall then be facilitated to replicate activities of the project on grass roots level.
6. 6. Study Tours: The Foundation shall support 4 study tours for each cluster to different parts of the country so that members of the civil society increase their awareness and interact with diverse societies as exchange of communities for internal integration that will help the civil society regain the lost pluralist democratic cultural, social and political spaces.