Pakistan, Islamabad – Pakistan is experiencing changes to school curriculum, including school curriculum, religion, social media outreach, and more during a period of surge in deadly armed attacks. has announced new policies to tackle “violent extremism” using unlikely tools.
However, many analysts warn that the plan is too ambitious, thin in detail and difficult to implement under Army-wide leadership, in line with military forces being used as a primary weapon. I’m doing it. Some experts argue that the national prevention of violent extremism (NPVE) policies is “old wine in new bottles,” as they are called the New Plan.
The latest policy released for release last week comes at the time of widening violence, particularly in the northwest Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and southwest Balochistan.
2024 was Pakistan’s most deadly year in nearly a decade, according to figures from the Research Centre Security Research (CRSS), an Islamabad-based think tank. The data reveals that 2,526 people were killed in the attacks last year. This includes around 700 security guards, over 900 civilians and around 900 armed fighter jets.
Most of these attacks were carried out by the Pakistani Taliban, known for the acronym TTP, an ideologically associated armed group with the Afghan Taliban. The TTP has been engaged in armed rebellions against Pakistan since its arrival in 2007.
Pakistan has introduced similar anti-toxicity frameworks in the past, but a new 71-page document [PDF]according to Dayyab Gillani, Director of Research and Development at NACTA, that was created by the National Counter Terrorism Authority, an autonomous government agency responsible for intelligence newsletter, threat assessments and counterterrorism strategies.
According to him, the key change is to promote a “society-wide” strategy to prevent “violent extremism,” such as the use of “non-physical” means by new policies. In military terminology, motion measurement refers to the army.
“The so-called war on terrorism has taught me that military operations alone are not a sustainable strategy. Girani told Al Jazeera in a recent interview in Islamabad. “The causes and driving forces of terrorism. was never removed, so despite short-term benefits, terrorism has repeatedly resurfaced.”
What do you say about the NPVE policy?
Gillani, who joined NACTA two years ago, said work at NPVE first began in 2019, but political instability delayed completion until 2024. The policy was approved in December by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s Cabinet.
This policy presents a “5-R” approach. This presents a “5-R” approach that measures short-term, medium-term and long-term effectiveness using a set of 700 corporate-style key performance indicators (KPIs).
The first policy action, “Revisit,” focuses on reforming the curriculum that attracts young people and influencers, such as teachers and religious leaders. “Reach Out” aims to promote national narratives through the media and counter the hard-line narratives on social media.
“We live in the age of social media and have become a major tool for radicalisation,” Girani said. “This requires an improved communication strategy.”
“We must develop a culture of tolerance, acceptance and inclusion where people respect social, political and religious differences without resorting to violence,” he added.
“Reduction” targets youth and women through peace initiatives and studies research into the role of women in armed rebellion. “Strengthening” seeks to promote peace and tolerance through arts, culture and scientific innovation.
The final policy litigation, “reintegration,” includes deradicalization, rehabilitation, and settlement programs for former fighter jets and conflict-affected communities.
“The national fundamental responsibility to its citizens is to provide care to them. Nonkinesic measures that are empathetic to their nature and approach are something that governments need to focus on to counter extremism. ” said Girani.
Military operations and old policies
Faced with 20 years of armed violence, Pakistan launched multiple military operations to combat armed groups.
After the 9/11 attacks and subsequent invasion of US Afghanistan, Pakistan became a shelter for Taliban leaders and al-Qaeda members fleeing Afghanistan.
After the TTP gained position in Pakistan, the Army launched several campaigns to eradicate them and regain control of the territory. However, until the 2014 attack on Army Public Schools in Peshawar, where more than 140 children were killed, the government developed a National Plan of Action (NAP), one of the first formal frameworks to counter armed rebellions. I did. A similar policy has since been launched and updated.
However, Gilani argued that these previous policies were “reactive” and focused primarily on motion measurements, making NPVE’s preventive and community-based approach unique.
“Community involvement is important for success. The movement measurement leaves a lasting scar on communities suffering from violence,” he said. “That’s why we emphasize prevention.”
Policies Implementation Challenges
However, analysts acknowledge that the NPVE balances military and non-military strategies, but warns that the ambitious scope of policy poses implementation challenges, at least on paper. .
“Pakistan has a history of deliberate policies failing due to inadequate implementation. Abdul Bashit, a researcher at S Rajaratnam International School of Studies in Singapore, said:
Similar concerns have been raised by Iftikhar Firdous, co-founder of Khorasan Diary, a platform that tracks local security.
“The policy acknowledges that intellectual capital is just as important as military action, as ideology is often more influential than weapons. However, the policy implementation framework has the potential to achieve its goals. “There’s no need for rigour,” says Firdous, based in Peshawar.
At the heart of these implementation challenges is the central issue. Who can implement the policy?
Civil-Military Control
Although NACTA is a civilian institution, Pakistan’s security policy has historically been dominated by its powerful military forces. It has been directly controlling the country for over 30 years and has continued to have a significant influence even on private governments.
“When the rapid influence of the military in almost every aspect of society is visible, Nakta is no exception. Therefore, a demilitarized framework for dealing with violent extremism is carried out by the military; Who can guarantee that success?” said Basit, a Singapore-based academic.
Firdous agreed that military surveillance over the policy would raise concerns.
“How can NACTA work effectively if it is perceived as being invasive of other law enforcement agencies? Civil-led Naktas accept in military-controlled systems Can we be? These are important questions that need to be answered in order to build consensus and implement policy,” he added.
Rohan Gunaratna, professor of security research at the S Rajaratnam School of International Studies, argued that the new policy also suffers from another flaw.
It is important for Pakistan to develop “customized policy options” that meet the specific needs of each group of society, he said.
“NPVE policies can serve as comprehensive guidelines, but we need a region-specific model to address the unique challenges faced by various groups and regions,” Gunaratna told Al Jazeera . “A one-size-fits-all approach doesn’t work.”
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