Deradicalization in Pakistan

The first task of this policy should be to target the militants that are either captured or have surrendered. Complementing the military offensive, deradicalization programs would not only succeed in rehabilitating the militants but would also break the cycle of alienating people around them and leaving their helplessness to be exploited by extremist forces. Therefore, the policy must have two tiers. The first should focus on the militants and countering the religious indoctrination through proper education and then rehabilitating them through vocational training to make them constructive members of society. The second aspect must focus on the families of the militants and grant them a necessary social safety net that includes education and economic development, including access to jobs. The re-integration of these people into society would have significant communal benefits as they can play a significant role in bringing prosperity and in deterring other individuals from falling into the trap of extremism. Therefore, the ripple effect would gradually ensure that there is an ideological shift in the communities as a whole and that the social roots of extremism are cut off. Also, the counterproductive policy of outsiders intruding and imposing their ideals would be neutralized because these people would be from the local communities and hence, more accepted.

The Pakistan Army has already taken this initiative after the Swat operation of 2008 by setting up two deradicalization camps: Mishal for adult militants and Sabaoon for boys aged 8 to 18 that were indoctrinated by the Taliban. As the former Chief of Army Staff General Kayani said, “There is no military solution to terrorism.” This mantra must be kept at the base of the state’s counterterrorism policy even in times of public disdain and demands for a swift reaction. Sabaoon, which is run by the Hum Pakistani Foundation and funded by UNICEF, provides children with psychological counselling to deal with the trauma, proper education to counter their extremist beliefs, and then vocational training to make them economically independent. This structure needs to be replicated and more national and international NGOs need to be incorporated to reach the grassroots and cater to as many victims as possible.

Though the aforementioned policies are merely a handful out of the numerous possible approaches, they are arguably the most important because of their individual and communal aspects and their tackling of extremism at an ideological and social level. It is an arduous task; great political will is required to rise against religious groups that will object to any form of interference and landowners that stand to lose profits because of a liberated labor class. The state has always had to bow down to these strong social forces before, but the specter of extremism in Pakistan looms so large that society is on the brink of disorder. The ideology of radicalism that leads to terrorism in all its forms must be countered at a human and social level, rather than trying to eradicate it through warfare. Before society becomes further dehumanized and desensitized to violence, it is necessary that the state brings all the stakeholders to the table to chalk out a counterterrorism policy that puts education right at the forefront.

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