Punjab government has prepared a comprehensive and practical five-year strategy aimed at preventing violent extremism across the province.
The strategy was developed under the Punjab Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (CoE-CVE) during a two-day strategic planning workshop held in Lahore.
The workshop was chaired by Speaker Punjab Assembly Malik Muhammad Ahmad Khan and attended by policymakers from across the country, senior officials of security institutions, education experts, and representatives of civil society.
During the workshop, experts emphasized the need for research-based, policy-focused, and practical measures to counter violent extremism. Deputy Coordination Officer Dr Ahmad Khawar Shehzad briefed participants on the vision and institutional framework of CoE-CVE.
Participants agreed that instead of adopting a purely reactive approach, preventive measures, social cohesion, and inclusive strategies should be prioritized to counter violent extremism effectively.
National Coordinator of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), Javed Ahmed Dogar, briefed the participants on the national policy for countering extremism.
Experts from the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), Paiman Trust, and other organizations participated in technical and thematic sessions. These sessions presented actionable recommendations on youth engagement, the role of media, digital resilience, rehabilitation, and de-radicalization.
The experts highlighted youth as ambassadors of peace and a key force for positive social change. Roadmaps focusing on governance, research, capacity building, youth engagement, and monitoring mechanisms were also developed.
At the conclusion of the workshop, participants expressed their commitment to formulating an effective, measurable, and sustainable strategy to counter violent extremism in Punjab, aimed at promoting peace, stability, and social harmony in the province.
