PESHAWAR  -  The three-day Counter­ing Violent Extremism Conference, organized under the auspices of the Center of Excellence on Countering Violent Ex­tremism, concluded its second-day sessions.

On the commencement of the second day of the three-day workshop, Chairman of the Coun­cil of Islamic Ideology, Dr. Qibla Ayaz, enlight­ened the participants on the inclinations towards religious seminaries in Pakistan, shedding light on the challenges posed by religious extremism. He emphasized the im­portance of discipline in both religious and mod­ern sciences, also ad­dressing the backdrop of Islamization imposed on Pakistani society.

In his address dur­ing the conference, Dr. Aamir Raza, Assistant Professor at the Depart­ment of Political Sci­ence, University of Pe­shawar, discussed the promotion of extrem­ism in the former trib­al areas and highlighted the associated risks. He advocated for initiatives post integration, ensur­ing mainstreaming of the tribal areas, and the establishment of health, education, and swift jus­tice services, as well as the enforcement of law for sustainable peace in the region. According to him, extremist ideol­ogies arise from depri­vation and social alien­ation.

Project Director of Pir Roshan Institute North Waziristan, Dr. Jamil Ahmed Chitrali, delved into the role of academia, including various soci­etal strata, in promoting peace and combating ex­tremism within the vir­tual world. He stressed the need for fostering patience, tolerance, and reasoned dialogue with­in society.

Dr. Samiuddin, Head of the Department of Reli­gious Studies at Edwards College, illuminated the historical context of re­ligious extremism, high­lighting its prevalence in Pakistani society. He em­phasized unity among different religions in countering extremism and sectarianism, en­gaging in conversations that bridge the gap. Dr. Samiuddin advocated for a balanced approach towards religious and worldly matters to curb the roots of extremism.

Director of the Islamic Research Institute, Pro­fessor Dr. Zia-ul-Haq, shed light on the role of the Center of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism in KP. Com­mending the efforts of the centre in the desig­nated regions, he empha­sized the need to engage the youth from tribal ar­eas directly and create awareness. The director also called for patience and tolerance in coun­tering terrorism and ex­tremism.