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Table of Contents
Background Project SALAM ...................................................................................................................... 4

List of Abbreviations .................................................................................................................... 7

Concept Note............................................................................................................................... 8
Program ..................................................................................................................................... 10
Executive Summary .............................................................................................................................. 15
Conclusion & Recommendations ....................................................................................................... 19
Policy Proposal for Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan ................................... 24
Media Report............................................................................................................................. 31

Press Coverage .............................................................................................................. 32

#CVE2015 ...................................................................................................................... 73

Pakistans Fight Against Violent Extremism by Senator Sehar Kamran (TI) .................... 74

Poll Results ................................................................................................................................ 77

Fatalities in Terrorist Violence in Pakistan ........................................................................................ 79
About CPGS ............................................................................................................................................ 80

Winning Hearts and Changing Minds Through

Sensitizing, Accessing, Linking, Acting and Monitoring

The name of the project has been derived from Islamic greeting which is extended to everyone
at first meeting to offer cordial welcome, respects and convey peace and blessings. The literary
meaning of Salam is Peace", which reflects the core objective of CPGS of promoting global
peace, security and harmony by making substantive intellectual, academic and diplomatic
contributions. The Arabic and Urdu word SALAM also lays out the entire strategy of the project.
Each word denotes a required action in the desired order of priority.
S Sensitize society and institutions to highlight the gravity of the problem based on detailed
research and comprehensive view of existing environment focusing on possible drivers of change.
A Access everyone involved at all stages of the project including the people of the affected areas,
local administration, policy makers, media experts, academics and experts from other countries.
L Link all individuals, organizations and institutions working in the field to focus efforts of the
society and develop coordinated response.
A Act timely to persuade policy decision at national level and encourage implementation of
mutually agreed plan of action in a sequential manner. Also help establish a model institution to
execute required plan of action.
M Monitor progress throughout to ensure sustainable change and recommend suitable changes
if required as and when identified.

SALAM aims to examine the current discourse around terrorism, violent extremism and their
perceived root causes. The project will entail specific research into the origins of this
phenomenon and highlight any discrepancies between popular perceptions, discourse and our
findings. In accessing and linking all relevant stakeholders at one platform, SALAM aims to
strengthen the understating of the violent extremism by addressing the basic root causes and
devising counter strategies, and an effective way forward.
Project SALAM has been divided into two categories i.e. the national and the international
paradigm. Under the umbrella of the national category, the Centre aims to facilitate local policy
makers through substantive policy recommendations, created by interaction with the relevant
institutions and stakeholders as well as by conducting ground research.
Under the international category, the Centre is engaging with the international community,
especially diplomatic missions, think tanks and relevant stakeholders, to deliberate joint policies
to combat the menace of radicalization and extremism which is threatening the very foundations
of the current world order.
SALAM aims at formulating a comprehensive plan of action to first sensitize society, access all
possible groups and institutions, link their efforts, act to persuade decision makers and finally
manage and monitor the progress. The project includes commissioned research studies and
surveys, international seminars/conferences and different other activities including
establishment of a model institution and center.
Under the project SALAM - In 2013, CPGS held its first two-day international seminar titled
Innovating Means to Resolve Radical Extremism in Pakistan; in February 2015, a one day
national conference titled National Action Plan: Policy to Practice was held, followed by a twoday international seminar on Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan September
2015. In addition to these, various roundtables and in-house meetings have been conducted by
CPGS since the initiation of the project in 2013.
To date the Centre has launched two policy papers, National Policy for Peace and Harmony and
Policy Proposed for Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan under Project SALAM.

Objectives
The aim of the Project is to achieve following objectives:

Provide a joint platform to both local and foreign experts and engage with them to
share ideas, concepts, and analysis on the subject of extremism;
Work to sensitize relevant segments of policy makers to increase awareness regarding
the existing situation in the country, region and the world;
Help formulate local policy makers by presenting various possible alternatives and
recommendations.

Scope of the Project

The scope of Project SALAM is to address:
1. Concept and causes of radicalization as well as global extremism violent and nonviolent on both national and international level;
2. Regional mechanisms and their role in countering extremism to date;
3. Global response strategies and best practices for countering violent extremism;
4. Role of national/international media and their narrative in countering violent
extremism;
5. Devising a counter strategy at national, regional as well as global levels, based on
these shared best practices.

List of Abbreviations

CT

Counter Terrorism

CTITF

Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force

CVE

Countering Violent Extremism

ETIM

East Turkestan Islamic Movement

GWOT

Global War on Terror

ISIL

Islamic State of Iraq and the Levant

NGOs

Non-Governmental Organisation

RATS

Regional Anti-Terrorist Structure

SAARC

South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation

SCO

Shanghai Cooperation Organisation

TTP

Tehreek-i-Talibaan Pakistan

UN

United Nations

UNAMA Council United Nations Assistance Mission in Afghanistan

UNSC

United Nations Security Council

VE

Violent Extremism

Concept Note

Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan

Aim
"To redress the gap between the perceived vs real origins of violent extremism,
deliberate response strategies and to formulate a counter policy at the National,
Regional and Global levels"

Given the changing dynamics of todays world, violent extremism has become a monumental
challenge. The ideology behind violent extremism cannot be defeated in a battlefield; only a
well-informed counter-ideology aimed at identifying and eradicating the problem from within
communities can help cope with this menace.
The world has perseveringly been tackling the peril of violent extremism in various forms and
shapes; however, the phenomenon continues to threaten international peace and security. In
this globalized world, extremist ideologies have permeated across borders, and given the
increasing social inequality, injustice and economic disparity, is leading to the marginalization of
moderate entities in societies.
Furthermore, the threat spectrum of violent extremism is intensified by the fact that it is not
linked to a specific religion, region, civilization, nation or ideology. It is multidimensional, and
from one corner of the world to the other, it equally affects all, irrespective of creed, culture and
cast.
Today, the global war against terrorism has shifted, at least in narrative, from being formerly
known as the Global War on Terror (GWOT) to Countering Violent Extremism (CVE). This
shift has occurred in light of the expansion of the reach of extremism, and the realization at a
policy level that violent extremism cannot be treated militarily; rather a proactive and preventive
all-encompassing approach led by all segments of society.
Some 40 countries have implemented CVE and de-radicalization programs. Various international
and regional organizations are also focusing on means and methods for countering VE. This
offers an opportunity for global experience sharing in developing a common strategy for CVE.
In this context, the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) organized a Two-Day
International Seminar on Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan on 9th and 10th
September 2015.

10

Program

11

Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan

September 9-10, 2015
DAY ONE
TIME (HRS)
0900-0930
0930-0935

TOPICS

SPEAKERS
Registration
Recitation from the Holy Quran
Opening Session

0935-0945

Opening Remarks

0945-0955

Welcome by Konrad- Adenauer

Stiftung

0955-1005

Keynote Address

1005-1035

Senator Sehar Kamran (TI)

Member Senate Standing Committees on
Defence & Defence Production, President,
Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS)
Mr Ronny Heine
Resident Representative, Pakistan
Senator Mushahid Hussain Sayed
Chairman, Senate Standing Committee on
Defence

Group Photo/Refreshments
Evolution of Violent Extremism as a Legal and Political Challenge
Chair: Dr Pervaiz Iqbal Cheema
Dean FCS, NDU

1035-1050

Evolution of the Transnational Threat of

Mr Ahmer Bilal Soofi
Violent Extremism: Legal Implications and
Former Law Minister
Limitations

1050-1105

The Political Nature of Violent Extremism

Dr Manzar Abbas Zaidi

Former Director NACTA

1105-1120

Social Transformation of Violent

Extremism: Afghanistans Response

H.E. Mr Janan Mosazai

Afghanistans Ambassador to Pakistan

1120-1200

Q & A Session

International Perspectives and Contemporary Response Strategies to Counter Violent Extremism

Chair: Ambassador (R) Akram Zaki
Former Secretary General Foreign Affairs
1205-1220

Violent Extremism Across Borders: Challenges H.E. Mr Rodolfo J Martin-Saravia

and Global Responses
Argentinian Ambassador to Pakistan

1220-1235

Ms. Sehar Tariq

Response of International Civil Society to
Country Representative
Violent Extremism
United States Institute of Peace

12

1235-1250

The German Experience: Success and H.E. Ms Ina Lepel

Limitations of De-Radicalization Strategies
German Ambassador to Pakistan

1250-1330

Q & A Session

1330-1430

Lunch
Pakistans Fight Against Extremism: Challenges and Lessons Learned
Chair: Major General (R) Athar Abbas
Former Director General, Inter Services Public Relations

1435-1450

Dr Zafar Jaspal
Comprehensive
National
Security:
Director & Associate Professor, Quaid-e-Azam
Imperatives for Combating Violent Extremism
University

1450-1505

Pakistans Limitations in the War against Mr Khalid Muhammad

Extremism: Challenges and Prospects
Defence Analyst

1505-1520

Reassessing Pakistans Narrative

on
Dr Nazir Hussain
Extremism: A Critical Analysis of the National
Associate Professor, Quaid-e-Azam University
Action Plan

1520-1535

Mr Usman Zafar
CVE Communications Initiatives of the Manager Research and Campaigns
Federal Information Ministry, Government of Pakistan Peace Collective, Federal Ministry of
Pakistan
Information, Broadcasting and National
Heritage

1535-1620

Q & A Session

1620-1650

Tea Break

DAY TWO
TIME (HRS)
TOPICS
SPEAKERS
1000-1030
Registration
Countering Violent Extremism: Role of International Media in Shaping the Narrative
Chair: Air Vice Marshall (R) Faaiz Amir, HI (M), S Bt
Vice Chancellor, Air University
Militancy and Extremist Outfits: Root
Mr Kamran Bokhari
1030 - 1045
Stratfor
Causes versus Perception
1045 - 1100

Pakistans Fight Against Extremism:

Dissecting Medias Coverage

1100 - 1115

Shaping Public Opinion: Role

Responsibilities of Global Media

1115 - 1200

Mr Talat Hussain
Journalist & FP Analyst
and Mr Haroon Rashid
BBC Urdu
Q & A Session

13

Global Experience Sharing: Countering Violent Extremism

Chair: Ambassador (R) Khalid Mahmood
Chairman, Institute of Strategic Studies Islamabad
Countering Violent Extremism: Role of the H.E. Mr Alexey Y. Dedov
1200 - 1215
Shanghai Cooperation Organization
Ambassador to Pakistan, Embassy of Russia
Mr. Yu Xueyong
Regional Peace Building: Chinas Strategy
1215 1230
Director of Political and Press Section, Embassy
and Experience
of Peoples Republic of China
1230 1245

Addressing Violent Extremism: Sri Lankan H.E. E.A.S. Wijayanthi Endirisinghe

Experience
Acting High Commissioner, Embassy of Sri Lanka

1245 1300

Resilience and Capacity-Building Against Mr Lachlan McLeod

Extremism: An Australian Perspective
Second Secretary (Political) Embassy of Australia

Dr Khuram Iqbal
Violent Extremism in South Asia: Regional
1300 1315
Centre of Excellence to Counter Extremism,
Responses and Strategies
National Defense University
1315 1355
1355 - 1455

1500 - 1520

1520 - 1530

Q & A Session
Lunch
Concluding Session
Recommendations & Counter Strategies

Special Address and Concluding Remarks

1530 1540 Vote of Thanks

Senator Sehar Kamran, (TI)

President, CPGS
Lt. General (R) Abdul Qadir Baloch
Federal Minister
Ministry of States and Frontier Regions (SAFRON)
Ms Sundus Ahmad
Editor CPGS

1540 1550

Group Photo

1550 - 1620

Tea Break / Refreshments

14

Executive Summary

15

Executive Summary
The two-day International Seminar on Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan was
aimed at exploring and sharing the ways and means to curb the menace of violent extremism.
This seminar was an important milestone in CPGS continuing endeavors under mega Project
SALAM to understand the evolving dynamics of violent extremism in national and international
paradigms. To make it more productive than a simple academic exercise, pre-seminar research
was conducted and drafted into a policy proposal. At the end of the seminar, this policy proposal
was presented by the President CPGS.
The Seminar was conducted over a span of two days, and hosted twenty-two speakers and five
chairs in five thematic working sessions, that were followed by detailed Q&A sessions. The
Program for the event is included in the report.
The Seminar witnessed impressive representation from all relevant institutions. The occasion was
graced by a galaxy of parliamentarians, high level dignitaries, ambassadors and other senior
diplomats, legal experts, academic scholars, members of the media, the defense community and
civil society, representatives from relevant organizations as well as university students.
A summary of the salient points discussed and debated by seminar speakers, chairs and
participants are as follows:1. The concept of countering violent extremism or CVE is a policy parameter aimed at
addressing the structural and social conditions that contribute to the process of
radicalization and violent extremism. Unlike counter terrorism approaches that rely on
both security legislations and catch & kill strategies, countering violent extremism
focuses on preventive strategies by alleviating underlying causes of violent extremism
such as injustice, poverty, ethnic, religious, ideological, cultural and racial tensions and
political differences.
2. The rise of violent extremism has a direct co-relation with conflicts and disputes (such as
Palestine and Kashmir), foreign interventions and occupations, religious, racial and ethnic
discrimination or persecution as well as social and economic exclusion. Extremists use
such injustices to lure people into supporting their agendas. The problem of terrorism and
extremism has been projected primarily as a Muslim problem, but ground realities
reflect that this problem transcends regions and religions.
3. Unless states and societies identify and adopts a centrist position, defining extremism
will remain a legal and political challenge, without which an effective proactive response
to the challenge of violent extremism cannot be formulated. An all-encompassing
approach based on the ethics of pluralism, right to exist and peace coexistence should be
adopted as a fundamental principle for policy-making, so that discrimination on the basis
of religion, racism, sectarianism, and ethnicity that leads to violent extremism may be
prevented.

Executive Summary

16
4. From a legal perspective, three major challenges lie at the heart of the CVE debate.
Foremost is with regard to the right of freedom of speech. The second challenge is the
application of Human Rights Law versus International Humanitarian Law, particularly in
the context of the states efforts to counter radicalization. Lastly, the challenge that arises
from the dovetailing of Muslim jurisprudence with international law and principles.
5. Terrorism and violent extremism in Afghanistan is a regional problem which requires a
political solution that involves legitimate regional stakeholders. Until that happens,
Afghanistan and the entire region will continue to suffer at the hands of violent
extremism.
6. Civil Society has the potential to play a central role in countering violent extremism. It has
the ability to develop, present and sustain the legitimacy of counter narratives against VE.
Civil Society based movements in Afghanistan, Germany, Australia, Africa and South
America have been successful in establishing a robust response to this challenge. The
German response in this context revolves around a holistic approach where policies based
on counseling services, reduced prejudices and promotion of women rights have proven
successful. The Australian approach is based on preventive measures; they promote a
peaceful, multicultural society, agreeing that terrorism has no religion or ethnicity. They
also provide compensation, economic opportunities and alternatives to the victims of
extremism.
7. Political and societal efforts to create an environment of trust between civil society and
law enforcement is key to the success of any CVE strategies.
8. Media can play a vital role in developing a counter narrative. In reporting terrorismrelated news, over-exaggeration and sensationalization can hinder state efforts to
establish a legitimate counter narrative. This in turn exacerbates confusion within the
ranks of society, thus providing space to terrorist propaganda, and creating fertile
grounds for recruitment.
9. The new digital age has produced enormous ways of public outreach. Cyber space offers
a novel medium to miscreants to disseminate toxic material across the globe without
detection. The real challenge lies in how we tackle the problems emerging from this new
digital world. The Tunnel Manual on cyber security, designed to regulate cyber space, is
a welcome step. However, a global consensus empowered by an international legal
regime to regulate the cyber and digital world has become a necessity.
10. Weak institutions prevent the timely provision of justice, and poor enforcement once a
decision is meted out results in a distancing of society from the state, and a loss of faith
in its ability to govern. Justice, or lack thereof, therefore becomes a key catalyst in the
radicalization process. The rise of TTP in Swat and the adjacent areas is a classic example
in this regard. When the government fails to provide justice to the people, the people are
naturally inclined to turn towards violence, or alternative options for its provision.

Executive Summary

17
11. In the context of Pakistan, there is a vital need to control terrorist financing. The counter
narratives and awareness campaigns regarding the charity system, such as Haq Haqdar
Tak and Purazm Pakistan, launched by the Ministry of Information are a step in the right
direction. However establishing a proper legislative structure, with clear enforcement
mechanisms is the need of the hour.
12. The Armed Forces of Pakistan have taken the lead in CT operations that have had a
stabilizing impact on the entire region. The success of Operation Zarb-e-Azb is evidenced
in the fact that since its inception, terrorism related incidents and target killings in the
country have decreased significantly. An active role by the political leadership however,
is what is missing.
13. At the regional level, institutions such as the Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO)
present a practical model for regional cooperation. The SCO has proven to be an effective
platform for formulating and implementing regional mechanisms to counter challenges
like terrorism, extremism and separatism.
14. China, like other states, is a victim of terrorism at the hands of groups like the East
Turkestan Islamic Movement (ETIM). In order to cope with such evolving threats, the
Regional Anti-Terrorism Structures (RATS) offers the best model for regional cooperation.
China also recognizes the efforts of Pakistan in the War on Terror, and has been playing a
vital role in bringing peace to the region.
15. Comprehensive international strategies, empowered by consensual, multilateral, legally
binding arrangements are the need of the hour. In this context, as the custodian of
international security, the UNSC should take the lead in evolving proposals for devising
such mechanisms. It can further assist member states in developing their capacities to
fight violent extremism.
The Seminar was organized by the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in collaboration
with German foundation Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung (KAS).

Executive Summary

18

Conclusion & Recommendations

19

Conclusion & Recommendations

Conclusion
Violent Extremism is not a new phenomenon. The world has been grappling with this threat for
decades. It is the need of the hour to effectively counter this menace collectively by identifying
basic root causes and learning from shared international best practices to counter violent
extremism (CVE). Furthermore, in order to devise effective and constructive mechanisms that
can attain specific policy goals, all stakeholders must be agreed upon the aforementioned root
causes.
It was also acknowledged that one of the core phenomenon behind the marginalisation that leads
to radicalisation, at the national level, are the exclusionary policies adopted by the state that
isolate vulnerable segments of society and exploit religion for political ends. At the international
level, the same process occurs when discriminatory policies are implemented at the global stage
creating feelings of resentment, isolation and compound grievances especially in the context of
long-standing disputes that morphs radical sentiments into acts of violent extremism and
terrorism. Policies of inclusion must be at the heart of any national and international CVE
program.

Recommendations
Keeping in view the national and international scope of the seminar, the set of final
recommendations have been divided into two segments; national and international.

National
1. The state must define the terms of extremism, violent extremism and terrorism,
particularly in the legal context, so as to clear lingering confusion over what identifies a
violent extremist and terrorist, as well as the difference between the two, so that any
such entities may accordingly be chastised effectively.
2. The state must also identify a coherent centrist position, against which views of
extremism may be gauged within society. This requires a uniformity within official
narratives, particularly surrounding sensitive phenomenon such as religion and its
political use by non-state entities, minority rights, and freedom of speech v hate speech,
etc.
3. For this purpose, an overhaul of the education system may help bring increase parity
among the three existing branches of education in Pakistan, i.e. public sector, private
sector and the madrassa system. Different education systems inculcate feelings of
inequality, which ultimately create discord among the general population. Education

Recommendations

20
systems should instead be utilized as a uniting force, countering social and class
differences by affording similar education and opportunities.
4. Education curriculum that promotes basic civic values needs to be reintroduced at the
school level for the purpose of inculcating better ethics in children, to make them a useful
citizen for tomorrow.
5. The judicial system of the country similarly demands significant reform, particularly in
lower courts where the justice process is slow and thereby, often ineffective. If justice
delayed is justice denied, it is only natural that people lose respect for the law and turn to
alternative mechanisms for its provision. This not only disturbs harmony in the society at
the time, but also sows seeds for future conflict with the state, resulting in violence and
increased terrorism in the country.
6. Similarly, it is vitally important to strengthen civilian institutions, particularly in the
context of law enforcement. Capacity building of institutions such as the National Counter
Terrorism Authority (NACTA) and the Police reform must be prioritized. Building a
technical infrastructure, hiring professional experts as well as allocating appropriate funds
and resources within the federal budget will be the first step in this direction.
7. Existing policies and legislations should be reviewed and reformed as necessary.
Oversight of the implementation of such policies and reforms is also crucial.
8. The financing of terrorists and violent extremists remains a critical issue. It is of the utmost
priority to identify their funding sources and channels to effectively cut non-state militias
off at the source. Strict legislation in this domain to regulate the money flow in and out
of the country should be implemented immediately.
9. The people of Pakistan are recognized for their extensive philanthropic activities.
According to one estimate, each year over 554 billion rupees are donated to charitable
causes. It is also estimated that approximately 1 in 5 people are entirely unaware of where
their money culminates, and the activities it supports. While laudable awareness
campaigns have been launched by the Ministry of Information, it is important that the
state channelize all receiving organizations and people to ascertain that charity money
will not be used for terrorism or promoting extremism in the country.
10. There are over fifty thousand madrassas and seminaries operating in Pakistan. The social
impact of these NGOs in terms of the scale of social services they provide cannot be
ignored. It is imperative their audit, funding and registration be channelized. Steps need
to be taken for a comprehensive implementation mechanism for transparent funding of
these seminaries. Further, the curriculum of these madrassas needs reform, so that they
may not become sources of fragmentation, sectarian violence and religious hatred.
11. It is also crucial to put an end to the political exploitation of religion, including regulating
any rallies, meetings, and gatherings etc., that provide an essential underpinning or create
motivation for the senseless violence that continues to blight our region, as well as to
bridge sectarian differences among various sects. Nationally, forums constituting of
ulemas from all sects must sit together to propagate the message of peace and tolerance
as per injunctions of Islam.
12. A law is the fatwa of the state in a statutory sense, and no individual has the right to
contradict it. If a religious decree advocates the violation of the law of the land, it should
be struck down and denounced by the Ulemas.

Recommendations

21
13. The role of Ulema and Mushaik in the society is very important as they are primary
opinion shapers. Their engagement in a dedicated campaign of countering violent
extremism can have tremendous impact. Ulema and Mushaikh conferences across the
country should be asked to preach peace as well as call for the eradication of terrorism
and violent extremism from society by terming them as un-Islamic.
14. Cyber-space is now a popular and simple medium for disseminating information. The
regulation and supervision of this medium is becoming increasingly important in this
context, so that anti state, anti-religion or sectarian content could be monitored, and its
distribution limited. Relevant legislation in this domain is of high importance. The
challenge facing States all around the world is how to balance the citizens right to
freedom of speech against their actions for preventing non-state actors from propagating
radical views.
15. The role of media has extraordinary potential in combating violent extremism and
terrorism. The onus of responsibility now lies on media networks to play a responsible
role in promoting national interests while discouraging and censoring activities of
extremist and terrorist organizations to stop their message from spreading to the masses.
16. Community engagement in these efforts to develop the ethics of peace coexistence, and
to recognize the right to exist for all is vital.

International
17. International organizations, especially the United Nations, should play a leading role in
curbing violent extremism. Comprehensive legislation against violent extremism in the
form of a convention would be a right step in this direction. To date, there is only one
United Nations Security Council Resolution (2178) that denounces violent extremism
and not terrorism.
18. Despite consensus at the global level to root-out the menace of extremism and terrorism,
it is yet to be identified what limitations a state and its civil society face when trying to
combat the menace. Governments and international organisations like the UN and its
partner agencies have a critical role to play in advancing these discussions and their
proposed solutions.
19. Organisations like the Shanghai Cooperation Organisation (SCO) can also play a greater
role in developing international counter-terrorism cooperation. The Regional AntiTerrorist Structure (RATS) of SCO provides a very effective role model in South Asian
nations to deal with rising religious extremism.
20. There is a need to refocus the obsession with one particular form of radicalization
Islamist militancy while downplaying all other sources of extremism; a misdiagnosis will
only lead to an incorrect treatment. This strategy has been in place for decades, examining
Islamist militancy with a magnifying lens, but has resulted in more harm than good by
actively spreading and mainstreaming an assumed connection between all militancy and
political Islam, until the two concepts have become both synonymous and widespread.
The resultant islamophobia has only been another hindrance in addressing the true
causes of marginalization as well as becoming the justification for further policies of
exclusion. Therefore, the international community should reconsider the focus in the

Recommendations

22
literature produced on extremism, which should include extremism along racist, ethnic,
sectarian and religious lines but also other factors that result in political acts of extremist
violence and their root causes.
21. Extremism and terrorism do not belong to any specific region or religion. They are a global
threat, which have an impact on people from all faiths. There is a need to develop a
discourse that takes into account evidences and tackles the problem without any bias.
22. There is growing realisation that NGOs, especially those led by Muslims fighting against
this menace should be on the frontlines of what is going to be a long struggle spanning
decades.
23. Violence has often been used by various states and actors as a strategic tool to further
their political or economic interests. No measures to counter violent extremism will be
successful unless and until the basic grievances are resolved.
24. Violent extremism is a hydra-headed monster and only a comprehensive approach can
help deal with it by addressing issues like conflicts and disputes; foreign interventions and
occupation; religious, racial and ethnic discrimination; and persecution as well as social
and economic exclusion.
25. Although transnational boundaries have become blurred in a political and social sense,
they remain a legal reality. Unilateral interventionist actions have never been endorsed,
even by the United Nations General Assembly as they are against the norms of
international law, hence they should be discouraged.
26. By focusing on increasing trade and regional integration, the threat of violent extremism
can be lowered as strong economic linkages decrease the likelihood of violence and
terrorism from the region. Work on liberal trade regimes worldwide increasing trade and
economic integration as well as state to state cooperation should be encouraged. This
cooperation should be conducted at both the government and society level.
27. There is a need to invest and promote research to develop an alternative narrative which
promotes critical thinking. It needs to be understood that the non-conventional threats
of violent extremism and terrorism can only be subdued by looking at the factors behind
this phenomenon, ideas or narratives cannot be defeated militarily, hence, military
strategies can only be successful to a limit.
28. Only by adopting a multidimensional approach i.e., holding of inter-culture and inter-faith
dialogue; resolution of political disputes around the world, besides supporting peace and
reconciliation in conflict-prone regions can foster long-term peace.

Recommendations

23

24

At the eve of the Two-Day International Seminar on

Countering Violent Extremism Global Action Plan

The Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies
Presents

Policy Proposal for Countering Violent

Extremism: Global Action Plan

25

Message by the President CPGS

Senator Sehar Kamran (TI)

The scourge of terrorism and violent extremism continues to threaten

the world. Our task to counter this scourge is thus unfinished. The
complex challenges of terrorism and violent extremism defy simplified
solutions and need a comprehensive approach. A piecemeal effort will not eliminate this scourge.
A uni-dimensional approach or a short term solution focused exclusively on operational and
political counter-measures will not produce the long-term and durable results. We as a comity of
nations, this is our responsibility to act prudently and sincerely against the menace of violent
extremism.
As a Pakistani citizen and a public representative, today I see that in the past fifteen years we
have given huge sacrifices in blood and resources. We have lost more than 50000 precious lives
of men, women and children, which include more than 10000 defence and security personnel.
Our social and physical infrastructure has suffered colossal damages; and the full potential of our
economy has been stunted. I see that Pakistan has sacrificed far more than any other nation in
fighting against forces of terrorism and extremism.
But beyond suffering and sacrifices, Pakistan fulfills its international obligations, particularly its
commitment to implement the UN Global Counter-Terrorism Strategy, with great responsibility.
Pakistan is party to eleven universal and two regional counter-terrorism instruments. At the
national level, we have enacted the Pakistan Arms Ordinance, the Surrender of Illicit Arms Act,
the Terrorists Special Courts Act, the Anti-Terrorism Act, the Control of Narcotics Substance Act,
the Anti-Narcotics Force Act, the Pakistan Madrasah Education Board Ordinance, and the AntiMoney Laundering Bill. We are a member of the Asia-Pacific Group on Money Laundering, and
party to the SAARC Regional Convention on Suppression of Terrorism and its Additional Protocol
on Terrorist Financing.
As a Pakistani citizen and a public representative, I assure the world that Pakistan will continue
to adhere to its commitment to strengthen mutual cooperation in the fight against terrorism and
violent extremism. And, I am equally confidant that international community recognizes
Pakistans efforts and role in combating the forces of evil and terror.

Policy Proposal

26

Background
Violent extremism remains a potent threat to international peace and security. Over the past
decade, the understanding of how and why individuals engage in violent extremism and
terrorism has evolved and become more nuanced, as have the ways and means to prevent these
threats. Aside from debates around definitional differences, Counter Violent Extremism (CVE)
falls precisely into realm of policy; carefully premeditated programs, and calculated interventions
(kinetic, non-kinetic, and sometime both) designed to prevent individuals from engaging in
violence associated with radical political, social, cultural, and religious ideologies and groups.
Since violent extremism has become a global phenomenon and is not associated with a single
ideological, cultural, political, religious or ethnic entity, therefore while devising a comprehensive
CVE strategy, multilateral consensual efforts are required to effectively counter it. To understand
the underlying causes of violent extremism at a broader level, five main issues that are at the
heart of the contemporary debate on countering violent extremism must be acknowledged.
These are: The us vs. them approach, or the cultural, ideological, religious and racial bases for
violent extremism, which have given rise to hatred, religious fanaticism and racism
leading to violent extremism and jet-black terrorism.
Underdeveloped regions and poor governance (e.g., lack of rule of law, democratic
values, justice, and provision of services), which have turned various regions into
breeding grounds for violent extremism.
Competing powers and the quest for regional and global dominance (pre-emptive wars,
proxy wars, state sponsored terrorism, covert operations for geopolitical, geostrategic
and geo-economic objectives etc).
Political instability in the Middle East and Africa and rise of transnational terror outfits
(ISIL, Boko Haram), which have brought the entire world, especially Europe, face to face
with unprecedented vulnerabilities and challenges. The most recent among these is
ongoing refugee crisis in the Middle East and Europe.
The role of multi-lateral institutions (especially of the UN) in tackling the problem of
violent extremism.
Keeping in view the above cited fundamental issues and to initiate a productive and objective
debate over ways and means to counter violent extremism, the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf
Studies (CPGS), Islamabad, has compiled certain policy recommendations that may provide a
better framework for at least understanding the basic causes for violent extremism, and
subsequently help in formulating a comprehensive and systematic response to deal with the
menace.

Policy Proposal

27
Globally, there are hundreds of counter extremism programs. In many countries, practitioners
focus on strengthening communities to reduce their vulnerability towards radicalization.
However, there remains a need to understand and tackle this menace at global level and
synchronize international efforts in an effective way to achieve the best results possible. The
purpose of this policy paper is to propose mechanisms and strategies to address the gaps in the
international efforts to counter violent extremism. These policy recommendations hope to be
amenable to all state parties, and productive in forwarding the debate in this context by
incorporating global best practices of countering violent extremism, and keeping in view the
heterogeneous behaviour and social realities of UN member states.

Proposal
i)

Considering the dangers that are posed by acts of violent extremism to the international
peace;

ii)

Believing violent extremism and the consequent acts of terrorism are a grave danger to the
global peace and security;

iii)

Emphasizing upon states to increase international cooperation in information sharing,

coordination, capacity-building of states for countering violent extremism;

iv)

Reiterating the UNSC resolutions stating that terrorism should not be associated with any
religion, nationality or civilization (S/RES/ 1963, 1989, 2129, 2161, 2178, 2195, 2199);

v)

Emphasizing that the sheltering, training, financing, travel and/or support of any known
violent extremists may be subject to strict legal controls as adopted by all the member
states of the UN;

vi)

Reaffirming the ban on violent non-state actors, individuals, organizations and their
affiliates, wherever they may be located.

In reference to Chapter VII of the Charter of the United Nations, CPGS recommends that;
1.

Garnering support to combat violent extremism under the umbrella of a global venture
will require a centralized effort from an international body (not a state or states in
isolation) that can lend the venture prestige, direction, and continuity. UN as a custodian
body of international peace and security must come forward to lead this global venture.

2.

There should be increased support and coordination among states, so as to better

understand the phenomenon of violent extremism, and better coordinate strategies
against the threat it poses to international peace and security under the umbrella of UN.

Policy Proposal

28
3.

UN member states should put more power to the elbow to effectively meet the
challenges of violent extremism and terrorism, to overcome the lack of international
support and cooperation that is preventing counter-terrorism committees established by
UNSC Resolutions from effectively dealing with terrorists.

4.

Countering violent extremism and radicalization that lead to terrorism following a

multidimensional approach and promoting and protecting human rights and
fundamental freedoms in the context of counterterrorism measures are two strategic
aspects that all states involved must focus on when developing strategies for dealing with
violent extremism at national level.

5.

It is also suggested that the UN may like to convene an international conference of highprofile Muslim and non-Muslim philanthropists, imams, thinkers, community leaders, and
government officials to define objectives and elect an oversight board from within their
ranks, with the aim of launching an inter-cultural and inter-faith dialogue that would have
been started and supported by the UN.

6.

The UN must gear up its efforts to examine and enforce the implementation of the various
components of its strategies by all state parties, particularly in the context of tackling the
financing of terrorism. They may also devise proposals that could contribute to increasing
the effectiveness of the implementation by Member States.

7.

A global venture that identifies and funds counter-radicalization projects in affected

countries would be the first step in reversing the grip of the violent extremist narrative.

8.

A clear distinction should be made between freedom struggles and acts of terrorism as
well as transparency and fairness in any policies formulated in this context. Unresolved
territorial and political issues must not be confused with terrorism or violent extremism.
Given that violent extremism knows no borders, disputes such as Palestine and Kashmir
have the potential to escalate tensions in the entire region(s), as well as create space that
can be manipulated by violent extremists for their own political ends. The UN should
extend its fullest support to a regional approach for resolving such regional conflicts.

9.

It is also suggested that UNSC develop a comprehensive and consensual proposal for
ending the conflict and humanitarian crisis in Afghanistan and the Middle East. As rightly
pointed out by Pakistans Permanent Representative to the UN, Ambassador Dr Maleeha
Lodhi, Afghanistan stands on the cusp of challenge and opportunity. United Nations
Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA) must support and push forward the process
of national reconciliation undertaken and led by Afghans themselves.

10.

The world is currently confronted with a humanitarian crisis of historic proportions a

global wave of displacement and forced migrations in Europe, the Middle East and

Policy Proposal

29
Africa, in East Asia and elsewhere. These massive human movements are the
consequence of conflicts, persecution and poverty. UN must vamp up its global response
on an emergency basis to decisively address the issues of displacement and forced
migration.
11.

The rise of trans-national terrorist outfits like ISIL (DAISH) and Boko Haram have posed
unprecedented challenges to global peace and security. The UNSC should act proactively
to deal with these groups. Similarly, the supporters, abettors and financers of these
groups must be dealt collectively, and with an iron hand.

12.

The UN member states should support forces of democracy and pluralism and amplify
voices that oppose the exploitation of religion by violent extremist groups for their own
political motives. A consensus at the international level is required to deal with hate
speech that incites violence. Moreover, the UN should work towards marking a clear
distinction between free speech and hate speech.

13.

There should be a framework mechanism for the prevention of covert operations by

states against other states for the purpose of destabilization and to achieve geopolitical,
geostrategic and geo-economic objectives. Similar arrangements should be erected to
discourage states from taking unilateral or preemptive actions against other states under
the cover of combating terrorism.

14.

At the international level, such a mechanism should have a consultative mandate over
the parties, in order to help the member states build their capacity to effectively prevent
any sponsorship of transnational terrorism. The UN may perhaps be the most effective
platform for the formulation of such a mechanism, as it may then incorporate all its
members into its folds. Such a consultative mandate can educate and help the member
states to develop an ethics of cultural pluralism and mutual coexistence.

15.

The UN should establish an effective counter terrorism consultative body at par with the
Counter-Terrorism Implementation Task Force (CTITF) to effectively eradicate this
menace across all platforms permanently.

16.

The international community should discourage recruitment or individual mobilization for

terrorism by supporting local law enforcement programs (capacity building), including
information-driven, community-oriented policing efforts, which have proven highly
effective in this regard.

17.

The UN and international community are urged to encourage and support states to
enhance the role of the civil society in development of a counter-extremism narrative.
However, it is the prime responsibility of the state to empower its civil society against the
forces of violent extremism by bolstering and catalyzing support to community-based

Policy Proposal

30
programs and strengthening relationships with communities that may help in evolving
the counter narrative. In this vein, role of youth in formulating a counter narrative against
violent extremism and terrorism in different communities should be appreciated and
promoted on every count.
18.

Use of cyber space for the promotion of terrorism and extremism is a rapidly growing
phenomenon. UNSC should initiate a proactive and coordinated response. CTITFs
Working Group on Countering the Use of Internet for Terrorist Purposes should gear up
its efforts to overcome technical, legal and political challenges in this regard.

Conclusion
Violent extremism is a complex and multi-dimensional phenomenon usually rooted in diverse
underlying factors such as religious, ideological, cultural, racial, ethnic, political and societal
misperceptions of differences. These factors, when mixed in a globalized environment pose
diverse and complex challenges with complex security dynamics. Extremist groups take
advantage of globalization to expand their networks and operations. These groups often target
areas marked by ongoing conflicts and tension. They exploit local and regional grievances by
effectively using communication technologies to spread their violent ideologies.
Therefore, response to counter these groups should go well beyond the symbolic pageantry of
conventions and political summits. It requires a serious and frank discussion at global level that
addresses how best to implement and frame the question of violent extremism and terrorism
within the lens of social inclusion and effective governance, and acknowledge the troubling
disconnect between national interests and global security. The UN, as the custodian body of
international peace and security should organize this discussion, so as to design consensual
intervention and preventions strategies in a systematic way by adhering to all statues of
international law, norms and customs.
Pakistan has been one of the hardest hit victims of violent extremism. Although no Pakistani
national was involved in any international conspiracy against the world peace, yet it has been
paying the price of this fight with the blood of its people. Despite the challenges, today the world
community recognizes Pakistans successful efforts against countering violent extremism. The
Pakistani nation is famous for its resilience in the face of adversity and history will remember
Pakistan as a country which defeated the scourge of violent extremism and emerged victorious.

Policy Proposal

31

Media Report

32

CPGS to Organize 2-Day Seminar

http://www.thefrontierpost.com/article/333962/cpgs-to-organize-2-day-seminar/
2015-09-05
ISLAMABAD (APP): Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) will organize a two-day
international seminar on Countering Violent Extremism from September 9. The seminar titled,
`Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan\' is being organized by the Centre for Pakistan
and Gulf Studies in collaboration with Konrad-Adenauer-Stiftung. Experts would share their
recommendations for establishing a framework to get rid of terrorism and ensure sustainable
peace in South Asia to nurture conducive environment for progress and prosperity, said a news
release issued here on Friday. Experts of international relations, scholars, faculty members of
different varsities, government officials and officials of CPGS would attend the seminar.

METRO EVENTS
http://www.dawn.com/news/1205638
Published Sep 08, 2015 07:03am

Seminar
Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) is organizing a two-day international seminar on
Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan from Wednesday, September 9 at 9:30am

33

Transnational Issues: Diplomats Call For International

Cooperation to Fight Extremism
http://tribune.com.pk/story/954002/transnational-issues-diplomats-call-for-internationalcooperation-to-fight-extremism/
Published: September 10, 2015
ISLAMABAD: Diplomats and parliamentarians have called for resolution of longstanding
disputes and promoting international cooperation to fight extremist ideology from spreading.
They emphasized the need for cooperation among states both at government level and people
to people to fight the menace, said a press release.
Speaking at the opening session of a two-day international seminar on Countering Violent
Extremism: Global Action Plan organized by the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies in
collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung (KAS), the speakers looked into the evolution of
violent extremism as legal and political challenge; international perspectives and response
strategies; and Pakistans own experience of fighting the problem.
Violent extremism was one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, which has
transcended borders and is now present across the world, insisted President CPGS Senator
Sehar Kamran.
Senator Kamran called for a multi-dimensional global response to counter the threat. She
linked the problem of violent extremism to a hydra-headed monster and said that a
comprehensive approach was required for dealing with it by addressing issues like conflicts and
disputes; foreign interventions and occupation; religious, racial and ethnic discrimination; and
persecution as well as social and economic exclusion that tended to promote this problem.
The complex challenges of terrorism and violent extremism defy simplified solutions. The
causes of terrorism and violent extremism are multiple and need a comprehensive response
from the international community, she said.
Furthermore, Senate Defense Committee Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain in his keynote
presentation regretted that violent extremism was often presented as a Muslim problem. He

34
said the historical perspective of the problem needed to be kept in mind for its fuller
comprehension.
He was of the view that actions by global powers based on their respective strategic
calculations led the world to the current state where its security was being challenged.
Emphasizing on his contention, Mushahid recalled that al Qaeda was a product of Afghan jihad,
while Daesh was a result of the Iraq war.
Till we attack the core questions and root causes and are aware of the political context it
would be difficult to counter the problem, he said and suggested speedy resolution of
outstanding disputes, criminalizing Islamophobia and promotion of democracy in Muslim
countries.
Focusing on extremism in Afghanistan, Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai spoke about the
countrys response to the problem. Mosazai said that Afghanistans fight against terrorism was
not only for its own security, but that of the entire region. He underscored the need for regional
cooperation to counter the growing threat of terrorism and extremist violence. But, he
regretted that the states in the region have still not agreed on the basic principles that could
form the basis of cooperation.
We have to keep asking ourselves the questions that having suffered so much at the hands of
terrorists groups are we ready to suffer from another group for another decade. If the answer
is no, we then need to rethink our policies and strategies and move towards state-to-state
cooperation.
Leading international law expert and former law minister Ahmer Bilal Soofi, while speaking
about the legal aspect of the issue, said the challenge facing the states was how to balance the
citizens right to freedom of speech against their actions for preventing non-state actors from
propagating radical views particularly the regulation of the cyberspace.

35

Intl Disputes Resolution to Help Check Terrorism, Say Experts

http://nation.com.pk/islamabad/10-Sep-2015/int-l-disputes-resolution-to-help-check-terrorismsay-experts
September 10, 2015
Islamabad - A two-day international seminar on Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action
Plan which opened here yesterday called for resolution of longstanding international disputes
and broader international cooperation to prevent the fanatic ideology from spreading.
The seminar was organized by Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in collaboration with
German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for discussing and sharing experiences about
countering this menace.
The seminar also aimed at exploring the way forward, whereby different countries could work
together to defeat this problem by building upon what has already been done.
Speakers on the first day of the event that featured presentations by foreign envoys, national
experts, political leaders, and academicians called for cooperation among states both at the level
of the government and society.
The speakers looked into the evolution of violent extremism as legal and political challenge;
international perspectives and response strategies; and Pakistans own experience of fighting the
problem.
President CPGS Senator Sehar Kamran, while introducing the seminar, said violent extremism
was one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, which transcended borders and was now
present across the world.
Senator Sehar Kamran called for a multidimensional global response to counter the threat.
She likened the problem of violent extremism to a hydra-headed monster and said that a
comprehensive approach was required for dealing with it by addressing issues like conflicts and
disputes; foreign interventions and occupation; religious, racial and ethnic discrimination; and
persecution as well as social and economic exclusion that tended to promote this problem.
The complex challenges of terrorism and violent extremism defy simplified solutions.

36
The causes of terrorism and violent extremism are multiple and need a comprehensive response
from the international community, she said.
Senator Mushahid Hussain in his keynote presentation said that in the todays world, the threat
of terrorism and violent extremism is real, and needed to be dealt at various levels, including
national, regional and global.
He regretted that violent extremism was often presented as a Muslim problem.
He said the historical perspective of the problem needed to be kept in mind for its fuller
comprehension.
He was of the view that actions by big global powers based on their respective strategic
calculations led the world to the current state where its security was being challenged.
Emphasizing on his contention, Senator Mushahid recalled that al-Qaeda was a product of Afghan
jihad, while ISIS was a result of Iraq war.
He said Kashmir and Palestine were two festering issues, which in the absence of a just resolution
were feeding extremist narrative.
Till we attack the core questions and root causes and are aware of the political context it would
be difficult to counter the problem, he said and suggested speedy resolution of outstanding
disputes, criminalizing Islamophobia and promotion of democracy in Muslim countries.
In his assessment Pakistan was reversing the mistakes of the past and moving forward.
He said the corrective course being pursued by the country made him hopeful about the future.
Afghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai spoke about Afghanistans response to the problem.
Mosazai said that Afghanistans fight against terrorism was not only for its own security, but that
of the entire region.
He underscored the need for regional cooperation to counter the growing threat of terrorism
and extremist violence.
But, he regretted that the states in the region have not still agreed on the basic principles that
could form the basis of cooperation.
We have to keep asking ourselves the questions that having suffered so much at the hands of
terrorists groups are we ready to suffer from another group for a further decade.
If the answer is no, we then need to rethink our policies and strategies and move towards state
to state cooperation.
He further asked for closing down of centers of propagation of extremist views.
Argentinean Ambassador to Pakistan Rodolfo J Martin Saravia also emphasized on the need for
a comprehensive, cohesive policy formulation around the world for addressing the problem.
He said violence was used by various actors as a strategic tool to further their political or
economic interests.

37
He said the threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism has grown in absence of research
into the effectiveness of the military strategies for dealing with the problem or looking into the
factors behind the phenomenon.
The competition over oil, trade and energy resources and medias inclination towards
sensationalism, he said, have contributed to further aggravating the situation.
German Ambassador Ina Lepel said Germany considered ISIS and its support networks as the
most important threat to its security.
Germany follows a holistic, whole-of-society approach with a strong focus on prevention.
Programmes offered by federal, state and local authorities focus on, but are not limited to, youth
and women, she said adding improving the overall conditions for the Muslim communities and
thus the reduction of grievances is an integral part of Germanys strategy.
Leading international law expert and former law minister Ahmer Bilal Soofi, while speaking about
the legal aspect of the issue said the challenge facing the states was how to balance the citizens
right to freedom of speech against their actions for preventing non-state actors from propagating
radical views, particularly the regulation of the cyberspace.
The legal treatment of transnational non-state actors is another point of discussion in the legal
circles, he added.
Former Director NACTA Dr Manzar Abbas Zaidi while dwelling upon the political nature of violent
extremism said that the problem has been misleadingly associated to religion.
He emphasized that it had been used as a tool of power politics for achieving political goals.

38

Daesh Poses Threat to Afghanistan, Region: Mosazai International Moot on Countering Violence
http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=272704
Thursday, September 10, 2015
IslamabadAfghan Ambassador Janan Mosazai while addressing a seminar here on Wednesday
cautioned that Daish is going to pose a major threat to the regional peace as Tehreek-e-Taliban
Pakistan (TTP) elements are joining it in large numbers.
Having suffered so much at the hands of terrorist groups, Afghan nationals fear another decade
of turbulence, he said.
Afghan envoy was addressing the first session of a 2-day international seminar on Countering
Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan.
Speaking about Afghanistans response to the problem Mr Mosazai said Afghanistans fight
against terrorism was not only for its own security, but for peace and prosperity of the entire
region.
He underscored the need for regional cooperation to counter growing threat of terrorism and
extremist violence. He regretted that the states in the region have not still agreed on the basic
principles that could form the basis of cooperation.
We have to keep asking ourselves the questions having suffered so much at the hands of
terrorists groups are we ready to suffer from another group for a further decade. If the answer
is NO, we then need to rethink our policies and strategies and move towards state to state
cooperation.
He further asked for closing down of centers of propagation of extremist views.
The two-day International Seminar on Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan is
organized by Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in collaboration with German
foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for discussing and sharing experiences about countering
this menace.
The seminar also aims at exploring the way forward, whereby different countries could work
together to defeat this problem by building upon what has already been done.

39
Speakers on the first day of the event that featured presentations by foreign envoys, national
experts, political leaders, and so academicians called for cooperation among states both at the
level of the government and society.
They addressed the issues of violent extremism which is a legal and political challenge;
international perspectives and response strategies; and above all Pakistans own experience of
fighting the problem.
President CPGS Senator Sehar Kamran, while opening the seminar said, violent extremism was
one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, which transcended borders.
German Ambassador Ina Lepel said Germany considered Daesh and its support networks as the
most dangerous threat to global security
Germany follows a holistic, approach with a strong focus on prevention.
Programmes offered by federal, state and local authorities focus on, but are not limited to, youth
and women, she said adding improving the overall conditions for the Muslim communities and
thus the reduction of grievances is an integral part of Germanys strategy.

40

Big Powers Actions Blamed For Global Insecurity

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/10-Sep-2015/big-powers-actions-blamed-for-globalinsecurity
September 10, 2015
ISLAMABAD: A two-day international seminar themed Countering Violent Extremism: Global
Action Plan, which opened on Wednesday, called for the resolution of longstanding
international disputes and broader international cooperation to prevent extremist ideology from
spreading.
The seminar is organized by Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in collaboration with
German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung for discussing and sharing experiences about
countering this menace. It is also aimed at exploring the way forward, whereby different
countries could work together to defeat this problem by building upon what has already been
done. On the first day of the event that featured presentations by foreign envoys, national
experts, political leaders, and academicians, speakers called for cooperation among states both
at the level of the government and society.
The speakers looked into the evolution of violent extremism as legal and political challenge;
international perspectives and response strategies; and Pakistans own experience of fighting the
problem. President CPGS Senator Sehar Kamran, while introducing the seminar, said violent
extremism was one of the biggest challenges of the 21st century, which transcended borders and
was now present across the world. Senator Sehar Kamran called for a multi-dimensional global
response to counter the threat. She likened the problem of violent extremism to a hydra-headed
monster and said that a comprehensive approach was required for dealing with it by addressing
issues like conflicts and disputes; foreign interventions and occupation; religious, racial and
ethnic discrimination; and persecution as well as social and economic exclusion that tended to
promote this problem.
The complex challenges of terrorism and violent extremism defy simplified solutions. The causes
of terrorism and violent extremism are multiple and need a comprehensive response from the
international community, she said. Pakistan, Senator Sehar Kamran recalled, was one of the
countries that had been hit hardest by the phenomenon, but resiliently found back to control its

41
spread. Senate Defense Committee Chairman Senator Mushahid Hussain, in his keynote
presentation, regretted that violent extremism was often presented as a Muslim problem.
He said the historical perspective of the problem needed to be kept in mind for fuller
comprehension.
He was of the view that actions by big global powers based on their respective strategic
calculations led the world to the current state where its security was being challenged.
Emphasizing on his contention, Senator Mushahid recalled that al Qaeda was a product of Afghan
jihad, while Daesh was a result of the US invasion and occupation of Iraq. He said Kashmir and
Palestine were two festering issues, which in the absence of a just resolution were feeding
extremist narrative.
Till we attack the core questions and root causes and are aware of the political context it would
be difficult to counter the problem, he said and suggested speedy resolution of outstanding
disputes, criminalizing Islamophobia and promotion of democracy in Muslim countries. In his
assessment Pakistan was reversing the mistakes of the past and moving forward. He said the
corrective course being pursued by the country made him hopeful about the future. Afghan
Ambassador Janan Mosazai spoke about Afghanistans response to the problem. Mosazai said
that Afghanistans fight against terrorism was not only for its own security, but that of the entire
region.
He underscored the need for regional cooperation to counter the growing threat of terrorism
and extremist violence. But, he regretted that the states in the region have not still agreed on
the basic principles that could form the basis of cooperation. We have to keep asking ourselves
the questions that having suffered so much at the hands of terrorists groups are we ready to
suffer from another group for a further decade. If the answer is NO, we then need to rethink our
policies and strategies and move towards state to state cooperation.
He further asked for closing down of centers of propagation of extremist views. Argentinean
Ambassador to Pakistan Rodolfo J Martin Saravia also emphasized on the need for a
comprehensive, cohesive policy formulation around the world for addressing the problem. He
said violence was used by various actors as a strategic tool to further their political or economic
interests. He said the threat posed by terrorism and violent extremism has grown in absence of
research into the effectiveness of the military strategies for dealing with the problem or looking
into the factors behind the phenomenon. The competition over oil, trade and energy resources
and medias inclination towards sensationalism, he said, has contributed to further aggravating
the situation.
German Ambassador Ina Lepel said Germany considered Daesh and its support networks as the
most important threat to its security and was therefore the focus of Countering Violent
Extremism (CVE) alongside other forms of extremism including the right wing and left wing

42
outfits. Germany follows a holistic, whole-of-society approach with a strong focus on
prevention. Programmes offered by federal, state and local authorities focus on, but are not
limited to, youth and women, she said adding improving the overall conditions for the Muslim
communities and thus the reduction of grievances is an integral part of Germanys strategy.
Leading international law expert and former law minister Ahmer Bilal Soofi, while speaking about
the legal aspect of the issue said the challenge facing the States was how to balance the citizens
right to freedom of speech against their actions for preventing non-state actors from propagating
radical views particularly the regulation of the cyberspace. The legal treatment of transnational
non-state actors is another point of discussion in the legal circles, he added.

43

Combating Extremism: UN Urged To Take Lead

http://tribune.com.pk/story/954669/combating-extremism-un-urged-to-take-lead/
Published: September 11, 2015
ISLAMABAD: Participants of a seminar have urged the United Nations to come forward and
take the lead in the fight against violent extremism.
They were speaking at the concluding session of a two-day seminar titled Countering violent
extremism: global action plan, organized by the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in
collaboration with Konrad Adenauer Stiftung here on Thursday.
The participants said that violent extremism could only be fought under the umbrella of a global
venture which required a centralized effort to lend the effort a direction and continuity.
They further called for greater international collaboration for tackling the problem instead of
solely relying on the military option. They said that efforts needed to be made to promote
peace and reconciliation in Afghanistan.
They also called for preventing proxy wars and sponsorship of terrorism. Federal Minister for
States and Frontiers Region Lt-Gen (retired) Abdul Qadir Baloch said that extremism in Pakistan
began from the tribal areas, which hosted fighters from all over the world during the AfghanSoviet war.
He said the militants maintained a stronghold there till military operation Zarb-e-Azb was
launched. Baloch said that the government reversed the policies of the past and now there
were no good and bad Taliban.
Russian Ambassador Alexey Dedov discussed the steps the Shanghai Cooperation Organization
had taken to counter the threat of extremist violence in the region and said that his government
was ready to work under the aegis of the UN to fight extremist violence.

44
He said that countries should not only deal with the symptoms, but also tackle the root causes.
The envoy emphasized on dealing with problems such as terror financing and narcotics
trafficking
Chinese diplomat Yu Xueyong said Pakistan had made great sacrifices in the fight against
terrorism, which need to be recognized by the international community. China, he said, looked
forward to continue working with Pakistan for regional peace and security.
He said that the Pakistan Army had been performing well in Operation Zarb-e-Azb and hoped
that more progress could be made so that conditions conducive for economic development
could be created.
Acting Sri Lankan High Commissioner Wijayanthi Edirisinghe, and Australian diplomat Lachlan
McLeod discussed their respective countrys experiences in dealing with the problem.

45

Russian, Chinese Diplomats Call For Shunning Double

Standards On Terrorism
http://www.dawn.com/news/1206282/russian-chinese-diplomats-call-for-shunning-doublestandards-on-terrorism
SEP 11, 2015 10:09AM
ISLAMABAD: Expressing alarm over the territorial gains made by militants in Afghanistan, Russian
envoy to Pakistan Alexey Dedov asked certain partner countries to shun double standards in the
fight against terrorism, without specifying who he was talking about.
We call on our partners to abandon double standards in the fight against terror and abandon
attempts to [classify] terrorists as good and bad, the Russian ambassador said at a seminar on
Countering Violent Extremism, organized by the Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies in
collaboration with German think tank Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
Mr Dedovs comments were echoed by Chinese diplomat Yu Xueyong, who also spoke at the
seminar. All countries should cooperate without employing double standards and selectivity,
Mr Yu said.
In his speech, Mr Dedov cautioned against the policy of dividing Taliban into good and bad and
said that if the concerned countries did not correct their course, the scenes witnessed in Iraq and
Libya would repeat themselves in Afghanistan.
Mr Dedov said that militants progress in Northern Afghanistan, which borders the Central Asian
Republics, was of particular concern to Moscow.
The Russian envoys remarks came as 65 villages in the Raghistan district of Badakhshan province
fell to the Taliban over the past few days. The militant onslaught in Northern Afghanistan is of
particular concern to Russia because it involves Chechen, Tajik, Kazakh and Uzbek militants.
Countering the threat emanating from Afghanistan is important for the regions security, he
underscored. He suggested that the way forward was in extending well-coordinated political
support to the Afghan government for recommencing reconciliation process in Afghanistan for
creating peace and stability there.

46
The reconciliation process Pakistan began facilitating in July stalled after disclosures about
Mullah Omars death. Islamabad has again offered to assist restart the process, but Kabul seems
cautious about the proposal.
About regional cooperation against terrorism, Mr Dedov said Russia supports Chinas initiative
for preparing the draft Shanghai Cooperation Organization (SCO) convention regarding the fight
against extremism.
We want SCO to play greater role in developing international counter-terrorism cooperation
under the aegis of the UN, he added.
The fight against terrorism, religious extremism and separatism is one of the top priorities for
SCO because these threats pose a real danger to the region and beyond, the Russian ambassador
remarked.
The Chinese diplomat, meanwhile, also praised Pakistans fight against terrorism and said that
these efforts deserved international recognition.
We expect that Zarb-e-Azb would make further achievements to create favorable conditions for
economic development, he said. China is willing to continue cooperation with Pakistan for
ensuring regional peace and stability, the diplomat said.
Hassan Belal Zaidi adds: Addressing the closing session of the two-day seminar, Minister for
States and Frontier Regions Abdul Qadir Baloch blamed the creation of violent extremists in
Pakistan on the West-centric policies of two individuals thinly-veiled references to Gen Zia u
lHaq and Gen Pervez Musharraf who could not win the support of the people, so they sought
the support of the Americans.
He insisted that extremism was not a Islamic phenomenon, as was being portrayed, and
recounted some of the greatest follies of man, such as the two world wars, as examples of
extremism displayed by those of other faiths.
Speaking about the Karachi operation, he said that certain political parties who had pursued the
policy of maintaining militant wings had been given the realization that they will be forced to
abandon this policy and that they could not rely on terror to get votes. The government would
[welcome their] return to parliament, he said.
Talking about his home province, he said, Balochistan was a problem. Balochistan is a problem.
But were doing our utmost to resolve the issues there. He said that in terms of area, his
constituency was nearly as big as all of Khyber Paktunkhwa and Fata combined, but that no major
development schemes had been implemented in the areas since 1947.
However, he said, one positive development was that people who were previously talking about
secession from Pakistan had now come back to the negotiating table.

47

CPGS Unveils Recommendations

http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-6-339745-CPGS-unveils-recommendations
Saturday, September 12, 2015
The Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) on Friday unveiled a set of recommendations
for countering violent extremism, which envision a lead role for the United Nations in the
international collaborative efforts against this menace.
The recommendations were presented at the conclusion of a two-day international seminar on
Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan, which was organized by Centre for Pakistan
and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in collaboration with German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung.
A government minister, diplomats, retired military officials, national experts, academicians and
representatives of civil society and media took part in the two-day long deliberations.
The seminar was preceded by a series of consultative workshops hosted by CPGS. I am confident
that outcomes of the seminar will provide a better framework for at least understanding the basic
causes of violent extremism, and subsequently help in formulating a comprehensive and
systematic response to deal with this problem, CPGS President Senator Sehar Kamran said as
she read out the policy recommendations. Garnering support to combat violent extremism
under the umbrella of a global venture will require a centralized effort from an international body
(not a state or states in isolation) that can lend the venture prestige, direction, and continuity.
UN as a custodian body of international peace and security must come forward to lead this global
venture, one of the eighteen recommendations presented by CPGS said.
The CPGS recommendations further urged for an international convention against violent
extremism by the UN. As the UN may perhaps be the most effective platform for its formulation.
Such a consultative mandate can educate and help the member states to develop an ethics of
cultural pluralism and mutual co-existence.
Other recommendations called for greater international collaboration; adoption of a
multidimensional approach for tackling the problem instead of solely relying on the military
option; holding of inter-culture and inter-faith dialogue; resolution of political disputes around

48
the world particularly Kashmir and Palestine, besides supporting peace and reconciliation in
Afghanistan to end the conflict there.

The recommendations further suggest drawing a distinction between terrorism and the struggle
for political rights,(CPGS) dealing with the issue of displacement; sternly countering violent
groups like Daesh and all those who support them and recruit for violent actions, preventing
proxy wars and sponsorship of terrorism, establishment of a consultative body on countering
terrorism; promotion of democracy and the role of civil society in developing counter-narrative
to the extremist ideology and addressing the issues involved in regulation of cyber space to
prevent its misuse for promotion of extremist views.
Federal Minister for States and Frontiers Region Lieutenant General (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, in his
key note speech at the end of the seminar, said that extremism in Pakistan began from tribal
areas, which hosted fighters from all over the world for war against Soviet Union in Afghanistan.
He said the militants maintained a stronghold there till military operation Zarb-e-Azb was
launched last year, which is about to end successfully and has restored the confidence of the
tribals.
Lieutenant General (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch said alongside the military operations the government
reversed the policies of the past and there are no good and bad Taliban at present.
The militants are now only seen as extremists and terrorists, he added. The organizational
structure of Taliban along with their communication channels and training camps, he said, has
been destroyed. Moreover, their funding channels and supply of arms and explosives, he
maintained, have been choked. The minister said that to prevent tribal areas from relapsing into
extremist control, it was important to restore the respect of the tribal people and launch a mega
development plan for the uplift of the area that long suffered neglect and backwardness.
It is important to address the economic causes of extremism and militancy, he said.
About Karachi, he said, a couple of political parties had militant wings and they too have been
conveyed in clear terms that they can do politics in a legitimate way, but would not be allowed
to use armed groups. Karachi needs good governance, Lieutenant General (r) Abdul Qadir
Baloch remarked.
The federal minister said there were positive news about Balochistan as well where those who
had taken up arms against the state were expressing their willingness to respect the Constitution
and peacefully engage in politics.
Russian Ambassador Alexey Dedov discussed the steps Shanghai Cooperation Organization
planned to take to counter the threat of extremist violence in the region. He said his government
supports the Chinese initiative at the SCO and was ready to work on plan for countering extremist

49
violence under the aegis of the United Nations. We should unite our forces for fighting our
common enemy, the ambassador said.

He said that countries should not only deal with the symptoms, but also tackle the root causes.
He emphasized on dealing with problems like terror financing and narcotics trafficking.
Chinese diplomat Yu Xueyong said Pakistan had made great sacrifices in the fight against
terrorism, which need to be recognized by the international community. China, he said, looked
forward to continue working with Pakistan for regional peace and security.
He said Pakistan Army was performing well in Operation Zarb-e-Azb and hoped that more
progress could be made so that conducive conditions for economic development could be
provided.
Acting Sri Lankan High Commissioner Wijayanthi Endirisinghe and Australian diplomat Lachlan
McLeod discussed their respective countrys experiences in dealing with this problem.
Earlier, Security Analyst Kamran Bokhari said that despite the international consensus on fighting
extremism, there was little agreement on how to proceed and what roles the State and the civil
society would have to play. Senior journalist Talat Hussain spoke about medias role in Pakistans
fight against terrorism.

50

Fight Against Extremism Be Led by UN, Proposes CPGS

http://nation.com.pk/islamabad/12-Sep-2015/fight-against-extremism-be-led-by-un-proposescpgs
September 12, 2015
Islamabad - The Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) has proposed that international
efforts against violent extremism must be led by the United Nations.
The CPGS, which is an Islamabad-based think tank, has further asked the UN to convene an
international convention of eminent persons for developing a consensus on the intervention and
prevention strategies that need to be pursued for defeating violent extremism.
While devising a comprehensive strategy for countering violent extremism, multilateral
consensual efforts are required to effectively counter it, President CPGS Senator Sehar Kamran
said yesterday at a briefing on the recommendations framed by her think tank for dealing with
the issue.
The recommendations were the outcome of a two-day international seminar on Countering
Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan which was organized by CPGS in collaboration with
German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and a series of consultative workshops that
preceded the seminar. This process undertaken as part of CPGS flagship project Salam:
Innovating Means to Resolve Radical Extremism in Pakistan which was launched in March 2013.
Senator Sehar Kamran said that violent extremism was a global problem, but different countries
had different approaches to the issue.
There remains a need to understand and tackle this menace at global level and synchronize
international efforts in an effective way to achieve the best results possible, she said.
The CPGS recommendations, which would be shared with UN and governments, importantly
come at a time when Pakistan government is considering a request from the United States to join
the international coalition against Daesh (Islamic State). Garnering support to combat violent
extremism under the umbrella of a global venture will require a centralized effort from an
international body (not a state or states in isolation) that can lend the venture prestige, direction,
and continuity. The UN as a custodian body of international peace and security must come

51
forward to lead this global venture, one of the eighteen recommendations presented by CPGS
said.
Other recommendations call for greater international collaboration; adoption of a
multidimensional approach for tackling the problem instead of solely relying on the military
option; holding of inter-culture and inter-faith dialogue; resolution of political disputes around
the world particularly Kashmir and Palestine, besides supporting peace and reconciliation in
Afghanistan to end the conflict there.
The recommendations further suggest drawing a distinction between terrorism and the struggle
for political rights; dealing with the issue of displacement; sternly countering violent groups like
IS and all those who support them and recruit for violent actions; preventing proxy wars and
sponsorship of terrorism; establishment of a consultative body on countering terrorism;
promotion of democracy and the role of civil society in developing counter-narrative to the
extremist ideology; and addressing the issues involved in regulation of cyber space to prevent its
misuse for promotion of extremist views.
Senator Sehar Kamran explained that the understanding behind these recommendations is that
violent extremism poses grave threat to international security and is caused by the cultural,
ideological, religious and racial divide; poor governance and underdevelopment; competition for
regional and global dominance; and political instability, which led to rise of transnational terror
outfits. She recalled that despite being one of the countries hit hardest by terrorism, Pakistan has
done well to fight back against the scourge of violent extremism.

52

UN Should Lead Fight Against Extremism

http://pakobserver.net/detailnews.asp?id=272917
Islamabad The Center for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) has proposed that international
effort against violent extremism should be led by the United Nations.
CPGS, which is an Islamabad based think tank, has further asked the UN
to convene an international convention of eminent persons for developing a consensus on the
intervention and prevention strategies that need to be pursued for defeating violent extremism.
While
devising
a
comprehensive
strategy
for
countering
violent
extremism, multilateral consensual efforts are required to effectively counter it, President CPGS
Senator Sehar Kamran said on Friday at a briefing on the recommendations framed by her think
tank for dealing with the issue.
The recommendations were the outcome of a two day international seminar on Countering
Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan, which was organized by Centre for Pakistan and Gulf
Studies (CPGS) in collaboration with German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung and a series
of consultative workshops that preceded the seminar.
This process undertaken as part of CPGS flagship project SALAM: Innovating Means to Resolve
Radical Extremism in Pakistan, which was launched in March 2013. Senator Sehar Kamran said
that violent extremism was a global problem, but different countries had different approaches to
the issue.
There remains a need to understand and tackle this menace at global level
and synchronize international efforts in an effective way to achieve the best results possible,
she said. The CPGS recommendations, which would be shared with UN and governments,
importantly come at a time when Pakistan government is considering a request from the United
States to join the international coalition against Daesh (Islamic State).APP

53

Lead Role Sought For UN in Countering Violent Extremism

http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/national/12-Sep-2015/lead-role-sought-for-un-in-counteringviolent-extremism
September 12, 2015
ISLAMABAD: violent extremism The Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) has unveiled a
set of recommendations for countering violent extremism, which envision a lead role for the
United Nations in the international collaborative efforts against this menace.
The recommendations were presented at the conclusion of a two-day international seminar on
Countering Violent Extremism: Global Action Plan, which was organized by Centre for Pakistan
and Gulf Studies (CPGS) in collaboration with German foundation Konrad Adenauer Stiftung. A
government minister, diplomats, retired military officials, national experts, academicians and
representatives of civil society and media took part in the two daylong deliberations. The seminar
was preceded by a series of consultative workshops hosted by CPGS. The policy
recommendations are the outcome of this process undertaken as part of CPGS flagship project
SALAM: Innovating Means to Resolve Radical Extremism in Pakistan, which was launched in
March 2013.
I am confident that outcomes of the seminar will provide a better framework for at least
understanding the basic causes of violent extremism, and subsequently help in formulating a
comprehensive and systematic response to deal with this problem, CPGS President Senator
Sehar Kamran said as she read out the policy recommendations. Garnering support to combat
violent extremism under the umbrella of a global venture will require a centralized effort from
an international body (not a state or states in isolation) that can lend the venture prestige,
direction, and continuity. UN as a custodian body of international peace and security must come
forward to lead this global venture, one of the eighteen recommendations presented by CPGS
said.

54
The CPGS recommendations further urged for an international convention against violent
extremism by the UN. As the UN may perhaps be the most effective platform for its formulation.
Such a consultative mandate can educate and help the member states to develop an ethics of
cultural pluralism and mutual coexistence. Other recommendations call for greater international
collaboration; adoption of a multidimensional approach for tackling the problem instead of solely
relying on the military option; holding of inter-culture and inter-faith dialogue; resolution of
political disputes around the world particularly Kashmir and Palestine, besides supporting peace
and reconciliation in Afghanistan to end the conflict there.
The recommendations further suggest drawing a distinction between terrorism and the struggle
for political rights; dealing with the issue of displacement; sternly countering violent groups like
Daesh and all those who support them and recruit for violent actions; preventing proxy wars and
sponsorship of terrorism; establishment of a consultative body on countering terrorism;
promotion of democracy and the role of civil society in developing counter-narrative to the
extremist ideology; and addressing the issues involved in regulation of cyber space to prevent its
misuse for promotion of extremist views.
Federal Minister for States and Frontiers Region Lt Gen (r) Abdul Qadir Baloch, in his key note
speech at the end of the seminar, said that extremism in Pakistan began from tribal areas, which
hosted fighters from all over the world for war against Soviet Union in Afghanistan. He said the
militants maintained a stronghold there till military operation Zarb-e-Azb was launched last year,
which is about to end successfully and has restored the confidence of the tribal people.
Gen Baloch said alongside the military operations the government reversed the policies of the
past and there are no good and bad Taliban at present. The militants are now only seen as
extremists and terrorists, he added. The organizational structure of Taliban along with their
communication channels and training camps, he said, has been destroyed. Moreover, their
funding channels and supply of arms and explosives, he maintained, have been choked. The
minister said that to prevent tribal areas from relapsing into extremist control, it was important
to restore the respect of the tribal people and launch a mega development plan for the uplift of
the area that long suffered neglect and backwardness.
It is important to address the economic causes of extremism and militancy, he said. About
Karachi, he said, a couple of political parties had militant wings and they too have been conveyed
in clear terms that they can do politics in a legitimate way, but would not be allowed to use armed
groups. Karachi needs good governance, Gen Baloch remarked. The federal minister said there
were positive news about Balochistan as well where those who had taken up arms against the
state were expressing their willingness to respect the Constitution and peacefully engage in
politics.

55
Russian Ambassador Alexey Dedov discussed the steps Shanghai Cooperation Organization
planned to take to counter the threat of extremist violence in the region. He said his government
supports the Chinese initiative at the SCO and was ready to work on plan for countering extremist
violence under the aegis of the United Nations. We should unite our forces for fighting our
common enemy, the ambassador said. He said that countries should not only deal with the
symptoms, but also tackle the root causes. He emphasized on dealing with problems like terror
financing and narcotics trafficking.

56

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During the course of the Two-Day International Seminar, CPGS's
official Hashtag for the event #CVE2015 continued to trend in
Pakistan on the social micro-blogging website twitter.

74

Pakistans Fight Against Violent Extremism

Senator Sehar Kamran (TI)

War against terrorism and extremism is being fought for future generations. General Raheel
Sharif, Chief of Army Staff (Command and Staff College, Quetta, 21st May, 2015)
Contemporaneously, violent extremism has emerged not only as one of the most daunting
challenges faced by Pakistan, but is in fact amongst the most formidable of challenges that
bedevil the global community today. There is no easy remedy for a narrative that hinges on verge
of insanity, and finds its following in appeals to frustrated, impressionable minds by creating a
perverse connection between social taboos/extreme ideologies and a difficult but righteous
path.
Today, Pakistan is fighting a war for its very survival against this faceless enemy. It is working hard
to overcome its wounds from the atrocities committed by extremists under various guises
atrocities that have shocked the world be it in the form of the innumerable suicide attacks on
government buildings, the taking hostage of innocents, as in the 2009 Police Academy attack or
the culminated horror of the December 16, 2014 attack on the Army Public School, where 132
innocent school children were ruthlessly massacred along with other nine members of the school
staff.
Pakistan has now been tackling the menace of extremism specifically violent extremism for
decades. In the aftermath of 9/11 and as a repercussion of the US-led NATO invasion of
Afghanistan, extremists in this region gained much strength and the state of Pakistan suffered
great setbacks as well as perhaps one of the worst crises in its history. The invasion in a region

75
where governance was not at its strongest inadvertently created a vacuum which provided space
for these resurgent non-state actors to occupy, enabling them to better propagate their skewed
narratives.
Instability in the region reached its peak when these elements felt confident enough to issue
diktats to the state. Of these non-state elements, one particularly difficult group which emerged
was the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The TTP, with its anti-state agenda, came into the
limelight in 2007 and has since been involved in most of the terrorist activities inside the country
in some form.
As a result the country has suffered some major set-backs. Political leaders and workers as well
as military officials have been specifically targeted. Benazir Bhutto, the leader of one of Pakistans
largest popular political parties, the Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) was also assassinated in one
such cowardly attack.
The first real headway against these groups only came as late as 2009 with Operation Rah-eRast, when Pakistan Army reclaimed the area of Swat. An even greater success, and on a larger
scale is seen by the mega operation launched by the Army in 2014 Operation Zarb-e-Azb. This
operation has destroyed the communication lines of terrorists and today, for the first time in
over a decade, relative peace prevails in the country.
Furthermore, to support the military operations, a focused de-radicalization project was
launched by the Army in Swat, which aimed at rehabilitating confirmed militants. This project
was the first to acknowledge the sensitivity required when attempting de-radicalization at this
scale by working separately with various segments within a militant group. Sabawoon is a facility
that focused mostly on juveniles while Mishal comprised work with adult detainees, and
Sparlay worked with the family members of detained militants. The programme has been fairly
successfully and many former militants have been rehabilitated.
It is important to note here the vital role the de-radicalization project has played in preventing a
resurgence of militancy in Swat, as the fact remains that unless the root causes behind
emergence of extremism and its turn towards violence are identified, no permanent progress can
be made towards fighting and eliminating it.
The use of violent acts for the pursuit of vested interests is the tactic most often employed by
extremists groups, either for politically motivated aims or for ideological objectives. Recently,
two major attacks occurred that once again highlighted this fact; the Safoora Goth incident and
the suicide attack on Punjabs Home Minister Shuja Khanzada.
The Safoora Goth incident, which claimed lives of 45 people mostly Ismaili Shias, was
perpetrated by an engineering student and his group of friends, who had been systematically

76
brainwashed into getting radicalized by elements with political agendas that have the know-how
for specifically targeting such vulnerable youth. These same students were also involved in killing
a prominent Karachi based activist.
Understanding the phenomenon from an un-skewed perspective therefore is very important. For
the most part, groups that are at the root of events like the Safoora Goth incident do not have
any return address or a specific territorial identity. This transnational character along with easy
access to mass media outlets eases the path for the propagation of their agenda, while
simultaneously making decisive action against them a formidable task.
Violent extremism knows no borders, religion, or cultural boundaries. It is a global enemy. It is
also multi-faceted, and as such demands a broad and comprehensive approach to tackle it.
Although there is a realization that exists today at the global level to identify the ideologies, the
infrastructure, the recruiters and funders of violent extremists, it should also be understood that
if discriminatory policies continue to exist across international platforms, such factors and
factions will continue to thrive. Policies need to be reevaluated; long standing issues lead to long
term grievances and provide a raison detre for manipulative extremist groups, providing them
with the material to manipulate people with and incite them to violence in the name of some
misplaced ideal of social justice.
It is vital, now more than ever, to agree on what the root causes are behind this menace in order
to effectively tackle them. A coordinated response from all the stakeholders is our best bet in
this fight. To build upon the successes achieved by Operation Zarb-e-Azab, it is vital to engage all
affected parties in dialogue that transcends sectarian and religious divides. Moreover, resilience
must be built into local communities to resist radicalization at the grass-root level alongside
efforts towards the economic integration of the population that feels isolated or deprived. Most
importantly, a counter-narrative that promotes tolerance is critical while concurrently working
to curb the dissemination of hate speech and extremist ideas. The use of force has been shown
to be insufficient on its own. In this era of globalization, only a common strategy devised with
international consent can effectively meet this transnational threat. Today we face an enemy
that is dynamic and evolves with the strategies we pursue to counter it. Only a broader and more
creative approach will help eradicate this menace permanently.
Article was originally published in The Nation on September 02, 2015.
Source: http://nation.com.pk/columns/02-Sep-2015/pakistan-s-fight-against-violent-extremism

77

Poll Result

78

Poll Results: Do you think there is difference between

terrorism and violent extremism?
The majority of Pakistanis understand that Terrorism and Violent Extremism are two separate
concepts. This assertion is made on the basis of the result of an online survey conducted by the
Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies where the audience was posed with the question, Do you
think that there is a difference between terrorism and violent extremism?
72 percent of respondents opined that yes there is indeed a difference, whereas 28 percent
disagreed. As a part of gauging public opinion on matters of national importance, CPGS regularly
conducts surveys on topics of national interest.

There is often confusion at a conceptual level where the terms of terrorism and violent
extremism are utilized, and more often than not, the two terms are used interchangeably.
However, there is a significant difference, and one that has an impact on the counter-strategies
being developed at the national level. Despite 14 years of the War against Terrorism, a consensus
on a universal definition of what this terrorism is comprised of exactly has not been achieved.
Historically, terrorism has always, in one form or another, been used as a political tool to further
specific socio-political and economic ends and objectives.
To highlight the contrast between terrorism and violent extremism, it is useful to note that
terrorism is broadly denoted as the practice of intimidation through violence, including killing
and destruction of property etc., to achieve a political objective. Violent extremism, on the other
hand, is identified as a broader political ideology that stands against the moderate, centric values
and norms of a society in order to change the said values, culture or belief systems of a certain
area by any means, including violence. It includes terrorism as well as other forms of politically
motivated and communal violence.
Source: http://cpakgulf.org/2015/10/01/poll-results-difference-between-terrorism-and-violent-extremism/

79

Fatalities in Terrorist Violence in Pakistan 2003-2015

Fatalities in Terrorist Violence in Pakistan During 2015

Source: http://salam.cpakgulf.org

80

CPGS Vision
Innovate future prospects for peace and security in the region and beyond through undertaking
research on Global Security, Geopolitics, Peace building and Conflict Resolution.

About the Centre

The CPGS is a non-partisan leading research institute established to undertake research on Global
Security, Geopolitics, Peace building and Conflict Resolution. The Centre aims to promote an
alternative perspective in advancing the cause of peace through policy analysis and direct
engagement with decision makers in government, civil society and academia; assess emerging
trends at regional and global level and devise strategies for addressing possible future challenges.
The Centre regularly conducts seminars, workshops, roundtables and conferences with
dignitaries, academics and experts from every walk of life, in order to actively promote regional
harmony, global peace, security and stability by making substantive intellectual, academic and
diplomatic contributions. The Centre aims to harness the immense potential for increasing
cooperation in the region to attain peace, security and economic development and to assess
emerging trends in regional policies and devise future strategies.
Operational Framework & Objectives

Promote regional peace and harmony through integrated and comprehensive

understanding of issues between peoples, governments and other entities;
Strengthen strategic, political, economic and social cooperation among countries of the
region and beyond;
Conduct research on strategic and security issues, to resolve conflict and build peace
through academic engagements, discussion and dialogue amongst all relevant
stakeholders.
Identify opportunities and areas of common interest for potential cooperation between
Pakistan and the countries of the region at all levels including both public and private
sector.

81

Contribute towards development of ideological and social ideas to promote tolerance

and co-existence for building multicultural human society based on shared ideas and
common goals;
Conduct Research and compile reports for the governments and private entities to
explore alternative options for efficient management and resolution of regional and
international issues;
Organize workshops and events to develop strong working relationship between
academia and practitioners;
Collaborate with the other research institutions and Think Tanks for achieving the core
objectives.

Activities and Services

Organize periodic seminars, workshops, lectures and other events which would bring
together leaders, academics, practitioners and other stakeholders, to study and discuss
issues of importance for the overall good of the society;
Map out future policy options by analyzing existing trends and emerging scenarios;
Compile, edit and publish (print and electronic) relevant information, data, commentaries
and analysis regularly;
Offer training and academic services for Skill Development and Strategic analysis;
Provide dedicated Consultancy and help create conducive environment for development
of our society;
All such other activities which help in achieving core objectives of the Centre and its
programs, projects and initiatives;
Prepare annual report of all activities for interested parties and stakeholders.

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