ISLAMABAD: PML-N MNA Romina Khursheed Alam has tabled a private member’s bill in the National Assembly to establish an institution, similar to a think tank, to fulfil the core objectives of the National Action Plan and promote peaceful conflict management at the grassroots level.

Read: How to tackle violent extremism in society

The bill would establish a National Centre for Countering Extremism, which also indicates that the government has recognised the long term presence of extremism in the country.

The centre’s responsibilities would include identified risk factors that contribute to violent extremism in Pakistani communities and potential remedies for public and private institutions and populations targeted by violent extremist propaganda, messaging or recruitment.

It would manage outreach and engagement efforts directed towards communities and areas at risk of radicalisation and recruitment for violent extremist activities, in addition to ensuring relevant information, research and products inform efforts to counter violent extremism.

The idea did not go down well with the largest religio-political party in the country, and Senator Hafiz Hamdullah from the Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) said the establishment of such a centre would be a futile exercise.

He claimed that religious extremists account for “less than 2pc” of society, while secular extremists are found all over and “whenever there is any bill, especially related to women, the secular lobbies become active”.

“The solution to countering extremism is to enforce the writ of the law as per the 1973 Constitution,” he said, adding that the root of extremism in the country were the impositions of martial law and the politicians who supported them.

Similar initiatives are also being taken by the army, and a high level seminar on countering extremism is being held at General Headquarters on Thursday, but the core responsibility for the matter lies with the National Counter Terrorism Authority (Nacta).

The bill states that the chairman of the centre’s board of governors would be the minister for defence. Other members would consist of three MNAs and three senators nominated by the speaker of the National Assembly and the Senate chairman, the director general of Inter-Services Intelligence, a Ministry of Federal Education representative, a Ministry of Interior representative, a Higher Education Commission representative and two experts in the relevant discipline nominated by the federal government.

An independent analyst argued that the centre should be under the prime minister or interior minister, and not directly affiliated with the defence ministry.

“Such centres have been established in many Muslim countries, but this needs serious consideration and should not be taken lightly,” Pakistan Institute of Peace Studies director Amir Rana said.

The bill also said that the centre would help establish undergraduate, graduate and postgraduate degrees and other programmes in the relevant discipline, in accordance with the standards and requirements of various universities.

It would also cooperate with other universities or public authorities within and outside Pakistan, recognise selected members of teaching staff from affiliated educational institutions and award fellowships, scholarships, grants and prizes to students from affiliated educational institutions who need financial assistance.

The bill has been forwarded to the relevant standing committee for discussion.

Published in Dawn, May 18th, 2017