Peace seminar:‘Need to revise syllabus to promote mutual respect’

Speakers say the world has realised war on terror cannot be won through force

MULTAN: The war on terrorism is a war of ideas which cannot be won through force and the international community has finally realised it after 15 years, said Amjad Baloch, a counter-terrorism expert.

He was speaking at a seminar organised by the Mohammad Nawaz Sharif University of Agriculture in collaboration with the Centre for Inclusive Governance (CIG) on Saturday.

In order to counter extremism, the government should concentrate on young people, especially university students in Pakistan, he said, adding there is a dire need to revise curriculum effectively to promote mutual respect.

Today, countries have adopted unique approach towards deradicalisation keeping in view requirements of their culture and political situation, he said, adding the aim of these deradicalisation programmes in the Middle East and South East Asia is to change the world view of the war-affected people.

The government and private organisations should work together to educate the detainees, he said, adding the objective of rehabilitation programmes is to renounce the violent ideologies of the detained terrorists and to bring back them into the society through offering them social incentives.

Amjad said the Western countries have adopted different approaches because of diverse interpretations of radicalisation.

“For instance, in France radicalisation is seen as a problem of social integration rather than a religious issue,” he said. Their emphasis is on the importance of law enforcement agencies than the role of local imams to build a connection between them and the local community.

He maintained the Netherlands and the United Kingdom have adopted the greater community engagement and working closely with imams, teachers, and social workers.

CIG National Programme Manager Maqbool Malhi said the CIG would work to deal with extremism and radicalisation in the country in general and South Punjab in particular.

The centre would also continue its efforts to deal with sectarian conflicts. “The centre will start programmes to support civil society in building social entrepreneurship,” said Maqbool.

Published in The Express Tribune, December 25^th, 2016.