Speakers for long-term strategies to counter extremism in KP

PESHAWAR: The speakers at an international conference called for chalking out and implementing long term strategies and projects to counter extremism in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

The day-long conference was organized by the KP Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism.

Secretary Higher Education Anila Mahfouz Durrani, former Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi, former DIG CTD and Executive Director of Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund from Geneva Khalid Kausar attended the conference as key speakers.

On this occasion, a memorandum of understanding was signed between the Geneva-based Global Community Engagement and Resilience Fund and the Centre.

The agreement was aimed to increase the efficiency of the Centre and prevention of extremism in the light of international experiences.

Speaking on the occasion, Secretary Higher Education Anila Durrani said that the KP Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism is the first centre of excellence of its kind in South Asia and would act as a think tank in the fight against extremism.

PPP leader and former Deputy Speaker National Assembly Faisal Karim Kundi said that KP was currently facing critical issues including extremism and climate change. He said Pakistan has to reconsider its foreign policy towards Afghanistan for peace in the region, adding that such interactions should be held regularly to combat extremism and promote tolerance in society.

Musrat Kadim said that this Center should have been established a decade ago, to prevent extremism. She emphasized upon women’s active and imperative role in establishing peace and rejecting extremist thinking.

Another speaker Javed Iqbal said that Pakistan had faced huge losses in terms of human lives and infrastructure in the war against terrorism. He suggested that parallel to the war against terrorism, work should also be done on other social, political and economic issues. He said that extremist ideas could be defeated through constructive thinking and health activities in the society.

Professor Dr. Usman Ghani, Director IM Sciences pointed out that currently, political intolerance and extremism was on the rise in Pakistan and suggested promoting tolerance and harmony in the society.

He said that the Centre should make recommendations to the Higher Education Commission and the Department of Education regarding the elimination of extremism at institutional level. At least one chapter on topics like counter-extremism should be included in the syllabus, he added.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2023