Islamabad, Pakistan – Pakistan has unveiled a new policy to fight against “violent extremism” using an unlikely bouquet of tools, including changes in school program, religion and awareness of social media, in addition to military tactics, at a time where fatal armed attacks are booming.
However, many analysts warn that the plan is too ambitious, thin on details and difficult to execute under the global direction of an army listening to the use of military force as a main weapon. Some experts argue that the national prevention policy for violent extremism (NPVE), as the new plan is called, is in fact “old wine in a new bottle”.
The latest policy, published for the public last week, comes at a time of climbing violence, especially in the northwest province of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the south-west province of Balutchistan.
According to figures from the Center for Research and Security Studies (CRSS), a reflection group based in Islamabad, 2024 was the deadliest year in almost a decade for Pakistan. The data reveal that 2,526 people were killed in attacks last year – including nearly 700 safety staff, more than 900 civilians and around 900 armed fighters.
The majority of these attacks were carried out by the Pakistani Taliban, known to the acronym TTP, an armed group ideologically linked to the Taliban in Afghanistan. The TTP has been carrying out an armed rebellion against Pakistan since its emergence in 2007.
While Pakistan has introduced similar anti-extemism frames in the past, the new 71-page document [PDF]Prepared by the National Counter Terrorism Authority – an autonomous government organization responsible for intelligence collection, threat assessments and strategies to combat terrorism – is different, said Dayyab Gillani, Director of Research and Development of Nacta .
The key change, according to him, is that the new policy promotes a strategy “all of society” to prevent “violent extremism”, in particular by using “non -kinetic” means. In military terminology, kinetic measures refer to armed force.
“The so-called war against terrorism has taught us that military operations alone are not a lasting strategy. Kinetic successes are only temporary because they fail to eliminate terrorism from its roots, “Gillani told Al Jazeera in a recent interview in Islamabad. “The causes and engines of terrorism have never been deleted, which is why terrorism has resurfaced several times, despite short -term gains.”
What does NPVE policy say?
Gillani, who joined Nacta two years ago, said that work on the NPVE started at the origin in 2019, but political instability delayed its completion until 2024. The policy was approved by the Cabinet of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif in December.
The policy presents a “5 -R” approach – revisit, reach out, reduce, strengthen and reintegrate – with a series of 700 corporate key style performance indicators (KPI) to measure short, medium and medium efficiency long term.
The first political action, “revisits”, focuses on the reform of the study program and the commitment of young people and influencers such as teachers and religious leaders. “Tach Out” aims to promote a national story through the media and to counter hard stories on social networks.
“We live in the era of social media, which has become a major tool for radicalization,” said Gillani. “This requires a reworked communication strategy.”
“We must promote a culture of tolerance, acceptance and inclusion, where people respect social, political and religious differences without resorting to violence,” he added.
“Reducing” targets young people and women through peace initiatives and research on the roles of women in armed rebellion. “Strengthens” seeks to promote peace and tolerance through the arts, culture and scientific innovation.
Final political action, “reintegration”, involves programs for deactivating, rehabilitation and reconciliation for veterans and communities affected by conflicts.
“The fundamental responsibility of a state towards its citizens is to provide them with care. Non -kinetic measures, which are empathetic nature and approach, is what the government must focus on countering extremism, “said Gillani.
Ancient military and political operations
Pakistan faced two decades of armed violence and launched several military operations to fight against armed groups.
After the September 11 attacks and the United States invasion in Afghanistan, Pakistan has become a refuge for Taliban leaders and Al-Qaeda members fleeing Afghanistan.
After the TTP acquired land in Pakistan, the army launched several campaigns to eradicate them and regain control of the territory. However, it was only in the 2014 attack on the army public school in Peshawar, in which more than 140 children were killed, that the government formulated a national action plan (NAP) – One of his first official executives to counter the armed rebellion. Similar policies have since been launched and updated.
But Gillani argued that these previous policies were “reactive” and focused mainly on kinetic measures, which makes the NPVE preventive and community approach.
“Community engagement is essential to success. Kinetic measures leave lasting scars on communities that have suffered violence, “he said. “This is why we emphasize prevention.”
Challenges of implementation of policies
But while analysts recognize that the NPVE establishes a balance between military and non -military strategies – at least on paper – they warn that the ambitious scope of the policy poses challenges of implementation.
“Pakistan has a history of well -intentioned policies due to poor implementation. The success of this policy depends on the question of whether the state ensures its proper execution, “said Abdul Basit, a researcher at the School of International Studies in Rajaratnam in Singapore.
Similar concerns have been raised by Iftikhar Firdous, co-founder of the Khorasan Diary, a platform according to regional security.
“This policy recognizes that intellectual capital is as crucial as military action, because ideologies are often more influential than weapons. However, the framework for implementing politics does not have the required rigor to achieve its objectives, “said Firdous, based in Peshawar.
At the heart of these implementation challenges is a central question: who can perform politics?
Civil vs Military control
Although Nacta is a civil institution, Pakistan security policies have always been dominated by its powerful soldiers, who have led the country directly for more than three decades and continues to manipulate a significant influence even on civil governments.
“At a time when the rapid influence of the military in almost all aspects of society is visible, Nacta is no exception, therefore when a non -militarized framework to manage violent extremism is carried out by the military, which can guarantee Its success? ” BASIT, said the academic based in Singapore.
Firdous argued that military surveillance of politics would arouse concerns.
“How can Nacta work effectively if it is perceived as encroaching on the jurisdiction of other law enforcement organizations? Can a nacta led by civilians be accepted in a system dominated by the army? These are crucial questions to which we must answer the creation of consensus and the implementation of the policy, “he added.
Rohan Gunaratna, professor of security studies at the School of International Studies of S Rajaratnam, argued that the new policy also suffered from another defect.
It is crucial for Pakistan to develop “tailor-made political options” that meet the specific needs of each group in the company, he said.
“Although NPVE policy can serve as a complete directive, it requires models specific to the region to meet the unique challenges faced by different groups and regions,” Gunaratna told Al Jazeera. “A unique approach will not work.”
