The following recommendations offer a unified strategy for combating violent extremism in Pakistan, focusing on addressing marginalisation, strengthening law and order, combating hate speech, and creating inclusive environments. Highlighting the importance of local context, community resilience, holistic and preventive strategies, the approach also highlights the need for clarity in policymaking and regional specificity. It advocates for tailored, ethical, culturally sensitive, and gender-aware strategies, including indigenous approaches and bridging research-policy gaps. Additionally, the strategy calls for reshaping media practices through impact-based media evaluations and regulations to positively influence society and reduce the spread of violence. It is vital for the state to:
o Understand that Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) is a relatively new discipline still in its early stages. Careful nurturing and guidance are essential for its growth and maturity, preventing it from succumbing to the pitfalls associated with the discourse on terrorism.
o Make concerted efforts to evolve PVE practices to address the root causes of violent extremism effectively. Without intentional support and development, the discipline risks encountering challenges similar to those in terrorism discussions.
o Investigate and understand the communication behaviours and systems related to violent extremism, identifying their critical role in both the proliferation and prevention of extremist ideologies.
o Fill the gaps in literature and research on violent extremism by dedicating resources to gain a comprehensive understanding of the field and its various facets.
o Transition from a counterterrorism (CT) paradigm, which has shown limitations, to a more focused PVE approach. This shift involves moving away from strategies primarily geared towards war and terrorism to more preventive and root cause-oriented methods.
o Recognise and address the issue of marginalisation as a key factor leading to violent extremism. This includes understanding the shift in societal dynamics, such as the transition from inclusive cultural festivals to more exclusive religious events, and how these changes are likely to contribute to feelings of alienation.
o Focus on understanding and mitigating the underlying causes of marginalisation that can lead individuals towards extremism. This requires a comprehensive analysis of societal, economic, and political factors that contribute to alienation and radicalisation.
o Develop platforms for open dialogue and address the lack of law and order, which are primary drivers of societal conflicts. These forums should facilitate constructive discussions and dispute resolution to prevent the escalation of conflicts.
o Investigate and understand the specific factors driving hate speech in society. Implement measures to counteract hate speech and promote inclusivity and tolerance.
o Work towards providing environments that foster social cohesion and inclusivity. This involves creating spaces where diverse groups feel valued and included, reducing the appeal of extremist ideologies.
o Pay special attention to rural and conflict-prone areas, which are often neglected in mainstream efforts to counter extremism. Implement targeted interventions to address the unique challenges in these regions.
o Involve local communities and leaders in efforts to prevent and counter violent extremism. Their involvement is crucial in developing and implementing strategies that are culturally sensitive and effective at the grassroots level.
o Ensure that Counter-Extremism (CE) and Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) strategies are grounded in local knowledge and languages to enhance their relevance and effectiveness.
o Focus on building community resilience as a key component of CVE and PVE initiatives. This is currently overlooked as a state priority, though some civil society initiatives are addressing it on a small scale.
o Embrace a holistic strategy that is not only multidisciplinary but also relies on collaboration across multiple agencies.
o Redirect the excessive focus on Violent Extremism (VE) to broader, holistic issues. Develop policies with diverse directions that address the root causes of extremism in the country.
o Develop and disseminate clear, standardised definitions of extremism that are universally understood by children, teachers, parents, healthcare workers, and other community members.
o Consider the socioeconomic needs of the Pakistani people to prevent them from seeking support from non-state actors, especially in cases where the state fails to meet these needs.
o Acknowledge that the dynamics of violent extremism vary across different regions in Pakistan and tailor strategies accordingly.
o Enhance community resilience to extremism.
o Address the gap between researchers and policymakers, stressing the need for longitudinal research to inform effective policymaking in the field of violent extremism.
o Improve access to available information and address the sensitivity of data sharing. This step is crucial in understanding and utilising information to counter VE.
o Acknowledge and study the root causes of radicalisation, particularly among children and youth, with an emphasis on factors like poverty.
o Understand and incorporate the role of women in peacebuilding, addressing its current absence in initiatives like Paigham-e-Pakistan.
o PVE is a gendered phenomenon. Therefore, there is a need to adopt softer, gender-sensitive approaches in strategies to counteract extremism.
o Formulate a strategy that is human-centered, state-centred, and also considers cultural and religious contexts in addressing violent extremism.
o Introduce Impact Rating Point systems in media to foster CVE/PVE awareness and knowledge among the public. This approach can guide media content towards being more responsible and educational.
o Encourage media outlets to adopt impact-based rating systems. Such systems evaluate the broader societal impact of media content, promoting a more responsible, informed, and socially conscious media landscape.
o Implement regulations to restrict media content that contributes to societal violence. Binding media to avoid content that exacerbates violence can help in reducing its propagation and influence in society.
