ISLAMABAD: Pakistan today is fighting the war against violent extremism, while also facing external threats from eastern and western borders, said Senator Sehar Kamran while addressing a roundtable discussion on Wednesday. The Centre for Pakistan and Gulf Studies (CPGS) hosted the discussion on ‘Radicalisation in Pakistan – Impact of National Action Plan, Challenges and Way Forward’ for a visiting Italian delegation from the think-tank Centro Studi Internazionali (CeSI). The proceedings included two presentations, and were chaired by former ambassador Akram Zaki. Participants at the event included members of the academia, experts and policy practitioners. In her opening remarks, Senator Sehar Kamran highlighted that the scourge of violent extremism had permeated across even the most secure of borders. “It knows no religion, caste, or creed, and is a menace to civilisations and societies all over the planet.” She further emphasised that a single dimensional approach, focused exclusively on operational or political measures could not produce long-term results, and a strong, cohesive national narrative was the need of the hour. She highlighted the innumerable sacrifices made by Pakistan in both physical and financial terms, and commended the Pakistan Army for taking the lead in the fight against violent extremism through 12 mega operations.
