Can Pakistan’s new plan to stop extremism actually work?

In 2009, when Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) took control of Swat Valley, it bombed schools, executed opponents, and ruled with fear and terror. In 2012, when 15-year-old Malala Yousafzai defied the TTP by insisting on her right to education, she was shot in the head. Malala survived, but many others were not so lucky. Over the last two decades, Pakistan has lost more than 80,000 people to terrorism and suffered around $120 billion in damages. Now, the government has a new plan, the National Preventing Violent Extremism (PVE) Policy, to stop radicalization. 

For years, Pakistan’s response to terrorism has over-relied on military operations. While this approach eliminated militants’ command and control systems, organizational infrastructure and sleeper cells, it did not address the root causes of extremism. The new PVE policy, approved on January 30, 2025, aims to balance military action with non-violent interventions, i.e., education, media engagement, economic opportunities and community programs to counter extremist ideologies before they take hold.

A major focus of the new PVE policy is education. Many extremist narratives spread through educational institutes, religious seminaries, and even informal learning environments. Through the new PVE policy, the government plans to revamp school curricula to promote values of peace, tolerance and critical thinking, while ensuring that teachers and religious scholars are trained to counter extremist ideas. In areas where extremist recruitment is high, the government aims to provide scholarships and soft loans to young people, ensuring they have better opportunities than falling into extremist networks. In Swat, a former militant stronghold, a local teacher named Rahim Ullah now runs a community learning center that provides free education to children who were once vulnerable to extremist influence. Education can be a tool for peace, but past efforts at reform have faced resistance. Whether this initiative succeeds will depend on political will and sustained efforts.

The state realizes that it cannot kill its way to victory, especially when many extremists are brainwashed teenagers rather than hardened criminals. 

- Abdul Basit Khan

Beyond education, the PVE policy will also focus on controlling extremist narratives both in the mainstream and social media. Pakistan has over 70 news channels, and with millions of social media users. The presence of extremist networks on social media has transformed the information space into an important battleground. In the past, militant organizations have used platforms like Facebook, YouTube, Telegram, Rocket Chat, and TikTok to recruit, radicalize, fundraise and spread their narratives. The new PVE policy includes training programs for journalists on how to report on extremism responsibly, avoiding sensationalism that could glorify these groups. 

Additionally, social media will be monitored for hate speech and extremist content, with authorities working to have accounts removed. However, similar crackdowns in the past have raised censorship concerns, leading to debates over how to balance security with freedom of expression. 

Another crucial element of the new PVE policy is its effort to engage young people and women. With over 64 percent of Pakistan’s population under 30, the youth are often the main targets of extremist recruiters. The PVE policy proposes youth-led peace initiatives in conflict-prone areas, encouraging scientific achievements, innovation, and creative expression as possible alternatives to violence. 

In Balochistan, where the separatist insurgency has long been a challenge, a former rebel named Muhammad Aslam has now set up a vocational training center to teach young men skills like carpentry and mechanics, helping them find jobs instead of turning to violence. Similarly, women’s roles in extremist groups have evolved from supporters and fundraisers to recruiters and, in some cases, combatants. The government plans to study why some women are drawn to extremism and how they can be included in counterterrorism strategies. However, programs focusing on women’s empowerment have often faced backlash from conservative elements in society, making implementation a challenge.

The policy also acknowledges that extremism cannot be defeated by force alone. Cultural and artistic expressions have historically played a role in countering radical ideologies. The new PVE plan encourages the revival of cultural festivals, support for artists and the promotion of literature and music to strengthen Pakistan’s diverse heritage. Research has shown that societies with thriving cultural spaces tend to be more resilient against extremist ideologies. In the past however, there have been instances where music concerts and art exhibitions were shut down due to religious and political pressures. Whether the government can protect and promote cultural expression this time remains to be seen.

One of the most complex aspects of countering extremism is the reintegration of former militants into society. If done poorly, it can result in a surge of militant incidents as witnessed after the failure of two successive peace deals with TTP in 2021 and 2022. Nonetheless, being mindful of such mistakes, the state realizes that it cannot kill its way to victory, especially when many extremists are brainwashed teenagers rather than hardened criminals. 

The new policy proposes de-radicalization centers modeled after past successful programs like Sabaoon, Mashal, and Rastoon in Swat. These centers of excellence helped young men who had been recruited by militants reintegrate into society by providing them with education and vocational training. The challenge, however, lies in identifying which individuals can be rehabilitated and which remain a threat. In communities where victims of terrorism still live, accepting former extremists back into society is not always easy. However, healing wounds between the perpetrators and victims of violent extremism in area where they live side by side is critical for the success of any PVE policy. 

Despite its ambitious scope, the PVE policy faces serious implementation and capacity challenges. Similar plans failed due to poor implementation, budgetary constraints and lack of political commitment. The success of this new initiative will depend on the capacity of the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), which is responsible for implementation. Resistance from powerful religious and political groups is also likely, especially in areas like madrassa reform, media regulation, and cultural promotion.

Pakistan’s new PVE policy is a major step in the right direction. It acknowledges that fighting extremism requires more than just military action— it needs education, economic opportunities, media engagement, and cultural revival. However, good policies have been introduced before, only to gather dust in government offices. The real test will be in the execution.

- The author is a research fellow at the S. Rajaratnam School of International Studies, Singapore. X: @basitresearcher