For Pakistanis, Violence Has ‘Profound Impact’ on Everyday Life

This video originally appeared on PBS NewsHour.

Across Pakistan, life is often interrupted by terrorist attacks and sectarian violence.

Last year alone, there were more than 600 bomb blasts. The Pakistani government says it’s trying to fight extremism through military means and economic development. The United States is assisting with military aid and drone strikes to kill militant leaders, and by funding projects to boost the economy, civil society and education.

Recently, 12 Pakistani civic leaders, all women, came to Washington to meet with U.S. officials. Among them, Bushra Hyder is the founder and director of two schools in Northwestern Pakistan that seek to promote non-violence and tolerance. And Naziha Ali is a freelance journalist and documentary filmmaker in Karachi who’s written widely on militant organizations.

I spoke to them at the Institute for Inclusive Security, a nonprofit group that promotes the role of women in conflict zones. They began by describing what it’s like to live in the midst of so much violence.

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