Policy Recommendation
B-2: Perspectives on Community Resilience to Violent Extremism Challenges in the Times of COVID-19
- Combating terrorism is expensive, exhaustive and requires national will. However, there are plenty of success stories and Pakistani policymakers may learn by studying and evaluating different international models and case studies to alter their needs accordingly.
- The threat of terrorism has not reduced despite the pandemic and so the Government of Pakistan must continue with its kinetic measures and develop a grand strategy for Countering Violent Extremism (CVE).
- The National Counter Extremism Policy Guidelines developed by the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) need to be implemented in letter and spirit, along with the National Security Policy, 2018.
- For successful CVE, it is important to revive the lost people-to-state connections. In this regard, while COVID-19 allowed officials to interact directly through various medias with the general public, the government should strengthen and enhance its focus on efficient service delivery, improved performance of LEAs, rule of law, building citizen trust in state as service provider, taking state institutions down to basic administrative levels, media engagement, education reforms covering public, private and madrassahs etc.
- Campaign to develop capability to discern facts from fake news is essential and may be started alongside online literacy education. The government needs to check online resources to curtail the production of terrorist propaganda and misinformation material.
- There is a need for adopting the ‘new normal’ to ensure social stabilization.
- The government needs to increase employment opportunities in order to reduce socioeconomic stress on poor communities.
- Online Workforce Information Centres (OWFICEs) may be established.
- Psychological counselling for rehabilitation of former terrorists or those impacted by acts of terrorism is critically important to ensure better mental health.
- The government and stakeholders need to understand the micro and macro level causes of violent, radical behavior to order to curtail its negative socio-psychological impacts on society.