JEDDAH — A locally developed model for deradicalisation and rehabilitation has been proposed for Pakistan to counter terrorism and violent extremism, with a particular focus on transforming prisons into effective centres for rehabilitation, reform an reintegration.
The proposed framework is part of a doctoral research study conducted by Qazi Jameel-ur-Rehman, a senior officer of the Pakistan Police Service, who recently completed his PhD at the National Defence University (NDU), Islamabad.
Qazi Jameel-ur-Rehman is currently serving in a senior diplomatic and administrative position at the Pakistan Consulate in Jeddah.
An experienced police officer, he has held several key positions during his career, including Capital City Police Officer in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and Regional Police Officer in Malakand and Dera Ismail Khan. He has also headed the Special Branch and served in important positions in the Intelligence Bureau. He later served as Inspector General of Police, Islamabad.
The central focus of his doctoral research is the development of an effective and context-specific deradicalisation mechanism for Pakistan. The study proposes a locally tailored model that takes into account the country’s social, cultural, religious and institutional environment.
The research argues that Pakistan should not rely exclusively on deradicalisation models developed in other countries. Instead, it should formulate policies based on its own experiences, social structures, institutional capacity and local requirements.
As part of the study, Qazi Jameel-ur-Rehman conducted a comparative assessment of deradicalisation programmes implemented in Pakistan and several other countries, examining their experiences, achievements and shortcomings.
The prison system in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa and the rehabilitation and deradicalisation initiatives undertaken there were also examined in detail.
According to the research, some of the rehabilitation facilities and reformative measures available in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa’s prisons bear significant similarities to specialised deradicalisation programmes implemented in Pakistan and other countries. This, the study suggests, provides an opportunity to systematically develop prisons into centres for rehabilitation and reform.
The proposed model gives importance not only to counter-terrorism operations but also to ideological reform, psychological support, rehabilitation, technical and vocational training, economic empowerment and the reintegration of individuals into mainstream society.
The research maintains that law-enforcement action and, where necessary, the use of force remain important in dealing with immediate terrorist threats. However, it argues that sustainable and long-term peace requires addressing the ideological, psychological, social and economic factors that contribute to extremism.
The rehabilitation and deradicalisation programmes launched in Swat after 2009 have also been examined as an important Pakistani experience. According to the study, thousands of individuals benefited from these programmes, offering valuable lessons for future counter-extremism and rehabilitation policies.
The research is significant in that it seeks to develop a comprehensive framework for countering extremism, rehabilitation and social reintegration based primarily on Pakistan’s own experiences and ground realities.
The study proposes that a sustainable strategy against violent extremism should combine security measures with rehabilitation and reintegration initiatives, enabling the state to address both the immediate threat of terrorism and the underlying factors that can contribute to radicalisation.