Campus watch: HEC, NACTA join hands against extremism

Partnership aims to sensitise student on the menace of terrorism, violent sectarianism

The Higher Education Commission (HEC) and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) signed a Letter of Intent (LOI) to engage faculty members and students from universities across Pakistan in developing a national strategy to counter on-campus extremism.

The LOI signing ceremony was held at the Commission Secretariat on Thursday. HEC Acting Executive Director Lt. Gen. (Retd) Muhammad Asghar and NACTA National Coordinator Khaliq Dad signed the LOI on behalf of their organisations. The ceremony was attended by a large number of officers from both the organisations.

Speaking on this occasion, Lt. Gen. (Retd) Asghar said that HEC has been very actively promoting the cause of peace at universities. “The HEC has heavily invested in campus security,” he stated. He observed that extremism is an international phenomenon which has impacted major parts of the world. He hoped that the partnership between HEC and NACTA will help sensitise students, faculty and the entire academia on the menace of extremism and terrorism. He said the universities play a very vital role in training youth and inculcating a moderate approach to life in their minds. He underlined that Islam is a religion of peace and there is a need to promote the true teachings of Islam.

“We hope HEC and NACTA will work very closely in the years to come and address the multidimensional causes of extremism,” he concluded.

Khaliq Dad appreciated HEC for partnering with NACTA in its efforts to counter extremism and terrorism. He said NACTA devises national anti-terrorism strategies, adding that it carries out research on various aspects of terrorism. He hoped that the HEC-NACTA partnership will help utilise the research conducted related to causes, threats and solutions of terrorism.

Under the LOI, HEC and NACTA will carry out research on topics relevant to terrorism and extremism. The HEC will give NACTA online access to research journals on topics pertaining to extremism and terrorism. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 26^th, 2018.