Hate speech is one of the most divisi­ve factor­s keepin­g the countr­y from becomi­ng united­Hate speech is one of the most divisive factors keeping the country from becoming united. It is a need of the hour to place a check on hate speech, mobilise officials to enforce this aspect of the National Action Plan, and work towards building tolerance. A good starting point in terms of mitigating hate speech is Section 505 of the Pakistan Penal Code. Punishments outlined in the PPC for hate speech violations include fines and imprisonment. Fines and imprisonment work for more concrete offenses, but when entire mentalities need to be affected over generations, a humanistic approach should be considered to build empathy.

Source: The Express Tribune December 25, 2017 05:48 UTC