Home and Law Minister Ziaul Hasan Lanjar on Wednesday chaired the second meeting of the board of governors of the Sindh Centre for Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism. The meeting reviewed ongoing and proposed measures for preventing violent extremism in the province.
Lanjar told the meeting that a new provincial centre has been established to counter extremism, and it would function under the National Policy for the Prevention of Violent Extremism and the revised National Action Plan. The meeting was briefed on policy formulation, Sindh-specific CVE interventions and the centre’s institutional strategy.
The minister stressed that priority would be given to research into the drivers of violent extremism, evidence-based analysis and a data-driven approach. He said that specialised training and capacity-building of the police, the relevant institutions and the community stakeholders has also been included in the centre’s key responsibilities.
The meeting also discussed the launch of programmes for youth, women, religious scholars and minority communities aimed at promoting peace, tolerance and dialogue. Measures related to the rehabilitation of individuals affected by extremism, and their reintegration as active members of society were also discussed.
The meeting also decided developing an effective monitoring system, including digital dashboards and a regular review mechanism. They noted that the centre would comprise two wings: the Research & Community Engagement Wing, and the Finance & IT Wing.
In the first phase the centre’s activities will begin in selected districts of Sindh, while the scope of these programmes will be expanded across the province in subsequent stages.
The meeting approved a five-year strategic roadmap for the centre, which includes an initial planning phase, followed by expansion measures, and a final phase ensuring full institutional integration. Lanjar reaffirmed Sindh’s commitment to coordinated actions aligned with national priorities.
