Counter-terrorism to be Included in Curriculum of Madrassahas and Universities

The Higher Commission of Pakistan (HEC) and National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) have decided this on account of recent increase in extremist activities being witnessed in educational institutes of Pakistan. For this purpose, revision of existing curriculum and addition of new material in curriculum regarding anti-terrorism will be done.

Addition of Counter terrorism Degree Programmes is a global strategy to combat terrorism. Many renowned Universities all over the world are offering such courses. But in Pakistan, it will be a new thing. The curriculum is formulated to give an understanding to the students of nature and dynamics of terrorist organizations. The subjects will involve the detailed information of terrorist organizations, their finances, their possible financers, their motives, how they work, their methods of exploiting the youth, intelligence forces and their policies and role of military to combat and stop terrorist activities.

HEC and NACTA have signed a memorandum on Thursday and soon the agreement will be implemented by involving University Faculty members and students. Both the Govt organizations have planned to invite University teachers and students from all over Pakistan together through their platform in order to come up with a national strategy and give their radical ideas in development of curriculum to counter the on-campus extremism.

NACTA National Coordinator Khaliq Dad Lak and HEC Acting Executive Director Lt Gen (r) Muhammad Asghar signed the MoU. Both of the organizations will collaborate on research on the said subject and revise the previous researches done on it.

HEC Acting Executive Director Lt Gen (R) Muhammad Asghar stated on the occasion, “The HEC has heavily invested in security at universities; we hope HEC and NACTA will work very closely in the years to come to address the multi-dimensional causes of extremism.”

The basic aim of this curriculum is to enhance the knowledge of students and instill in them a better understanding of threat of terrorism in their surroundings. The primary reason of terrorism in Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iraq and other terrorist stricken countries is extremism. Terrorists use extremist ideas as a tool to exploit youth for their benefit. To educate students and give a comprehensive outlook of religion can help eradicate extremism from Pakistan. A large number of students, especially in Madrassahas fall prey to dogmas of extremist leaders.

Intolerance, hate speech, false notions has lead to widespread extremism in country. The general perception of religion is objectified differently by different sects. For example, the hatred of Shias for Sunnis and hatred of Sunnis for Shias has caused riots, killings and assassinations in Muslim world, whether it is Iran, Iraq or Pakistan.

The goal of counter-terrorism curriculum must be directed at cutting the root of extremism from mindset of students and make them acknowledge the need of accepting different sects.

The United Nations has initiated The Universal Legal Framework against Terrorism in 2010 to combat terrorism through curriculum in America. This Framework is consisted of:

1. Counter-terrorism in the international law context
2. The universal legal framework against terrorism
3. International cooperation in criminal matters: Mutual legal assistance and extradition in terrorist cases
4. Counter-terrorism and human rights
5. The universal legal framework: Financing of terrorism
6. Counter-terrorism and criminal justice proceedings