Assessing Pakistan’s Counter Violent Extremism (CVE) Programs to Propose Alternative Narrative for Countering Extremist Ideologies

Abstract

Pakistan's Counter Violent Extremism efforts combine policy options and deradicalization programs. However, these efforts have not efficiently utilized the potential of indigenously derived national narratives in combating terrorism and extremism. Pakistani officials introduced the Paigham-e-Pakistan (Message of Pakistan), a collective fatwa issued by more than 1800 religious scholars, to provide a rebuttal to the extremist ideologies. However, the prime focus of this document remained limited to declaring any ruling on takfir, kafir, and Jihad as unlawful (haram) while neglecting the pivotal concept of Khuruj which plays a central role in extremism and radicalization within Pakistan. Instead of simply rejecting terrorists' interpretations of vital religious concepts, the state must present an alternative narrative rooted in religion to tackle the threats of extremism and radicalization within Pakistani society. This analytical study attempts to evaluate the gaps in the CVE models of Pakistan and elucidates how the Islamic concept of wassatiyyah can serve as the basis for an alternative narrative against extremism and radicalization in the country.