PESHAWAR: The government of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa has decided to make the Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism functional as soon as possible. The forum while agreeing to the need and importance and the proposed functions of the centre has directed the quarters concerned to take necessary steps to make it functional as soon as possible.

The aims and objectives of the Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism, its proposed functions and organogram, budget estimates, powers and other important aspects of the Centre. The forum was informed that the Centre would work as a Research Based Institute to cope with the issues emerging from terrorism, subversive activities, hatred, extremism, intolerance and radicalization etc.

It was agreed during the maiden meeting of Board of Governors of Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism held here with Chief Minister Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Mahmood Khan in the chair. Provincial Minister for Higher Education Kamran Bangash, Special Assistant to CM on Information Barrister Muhammad Ali Saif, MPA Dr. Ayesha Asad, administrative secretaries of Higher Education, Home and Law departments, Chief Coordination Officer Centre of Excellence and other board members attended the meeting.

“The vision behind establishing this centre was to create a society free of violent extremism and terrorism”, the authorities told and added that this would be a unique initiative of its nature not only in Pakistan but across the Asia.

Presiding over the meeting of the Board of Governors, the chief minister has also directed the concerned authorities to immediately formulate finance and human resource committees under the board of centre of excellence so that financial budget, organogram and other important matters could be finalized without any delay. He said that the provincial government was taking every possible step to create a peaceful and violence free society adding that establishment of the proposed centre of excellence was also a part of this struggle. He expressed the hope that the Centre of Excellence would play an important role in creating a peaceful society by using evidence based innovative approaches and worldwide research to prevent and combat violent extremism in the province.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2022