Govt defends strategy to counter extremism

Senate told no discrimination in Paigham-e-Aman body

ISLAMABAD:

The government on Tuesday defended its actions to contain the hydra of terrorism informing the upper house of parliament the federal government had launched coordinated initiatives to counter extremism and terrorism through religious harmony, narrative-building, and strict implementation of the National Action Plan (NAP).

Replying to a question during Question Hour, Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said that a Paigham-e-Aman Committee had been constituted without discrimination on the basis of sect or political affiliation.

He said scholars from all schools of thought and representatives of different religions from across Pakistan had been included in the committee, which was actively touring the country to promote a counter-narrative against extremism, violence, and terrorism.

Tarar said building a credible counternarrative against violent extremism was primarily the responsibility of religious scholars, adding that the government had also established a Counter Violent Extremism (CVE) Cell in the Information Ministry.

He said a third-party audit mechanism had been put in place to assess the reach and impact of the narratives produced by the CVE Cell, particularly through digital platforms.

Minister of State for Interior Talal Chaudhry also briefed the Senate on the government's broader strategy to counter extremism, telling senators that both kinetic and non-kinetic measures were being pursued simultaneously.

He said the most recent meeting on counter-extremism had been held under the leadership of the Information Minister, while the Paigham-e-Aman Committee, chaired by the Prime Minister, had formulated a comprehensive outreach programme spanning universities, madaris, mosques, and other segments of society.

Chaudhry stressed the need for a full parliamentary debate on the 14-point National Action Plan-II (NAP-II), noting that the original NAP had been formulated after the Army Public School tragedy during the PML-N government and later revised during the PTI government with the consensus of all provinces.

He informed the House that a high-level coordination committee on counter-terrorism, chaired by the Prime Minister and attended by all chief ministers and heads of security institutions, met regularly to review progress.

Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill

The Senate on Tuesday passed the Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2025, as reported by the Standing Committee.

Adviser to the Prime Minister on Privatisation Muhammad Ali moved the bill to further amend the Privatisation Commission Ordinance, 2000 [The Privatisation Commission (Amendment) Bill, 2025] in the House.

The House passed the bill through clause-by-clause reading.

Meanwhile, Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar moved a motion that the Bill to provide for the establishment of the Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission (The Whistleblower Protection and Vigilance Commission Bill, 2025), as passed by the Senate and transmitted to the National Assembly but not passed by the National Assembly within ninety days of its laying in the National Assembly, be considered in a joint sitting. The House adopted the motion.