Top anti-terror cop for deradicalising Karachi

Karachi

The Sindh police counter terrorism department chief has requested the provincial government to take steps to deradicalise Karachi – including removing the flags, posters and graffiti of religious and political parties, reducing media coverage of their rallies and other gatherings, and integrating madrasas with the regular school system.

“I have sent these suggestions to the government authorities concerned in a letter,” Sanaullah Abbasi told The News on Sunday.

“These suggestions have been prepared on the basis of research and interrogation reports of high-profile terrorism and extremism cases.”

The official said madrasas must establish computer and science laboratories and introduce subjects like geography, arts and social studies.

He added that non-governmental organisations including the Aman Foundation could be approached to set up technical schools in poor areas.

 Aman Foundation is running a state-of-the-art technical school in Korangi.”

Abbasi said poor children who went to madrasas needed to be given alternate education opportunities by setting up quality schools in impoverished areas.

“A survey should be conducted to ascertain which segment of the society is attracted to madrasa education. Ethnic, social, and economic backgrounds are few a factors that play a role in this,” he observed.

The CTD chief said the federal government in its Millennium Development Goal had declared education up till matriculation compulsory for every child.

“This should be followed diligently by establishing schools where required and enrolling all children. In achieving this goal, help can be sought from NGOs like The Citizens Foundation and other groups active in this field.”

Student records

Abbasi said not only madrasa students, but an increasing number of students of higher educational institutions too were being influenced by religious extremism and becoming radicalised.

He added that through the special branch, the activities of religious groups and societies in these institutions needed to be strictly monitored.

“There a need to maintain student records at all educational institutions. The provincial government can pass a law to make it binding on all of them to share these records with the special branch.”

The official said this would help in developing a database of students and teachers involved in religious activities and keeping a
track of them during and after the completion of their studies.

“Educational institutions can also be assigned the responsibility of keeping a watch on their students and informing the special branch in case of any suspicious activity.”

On cyber space, the CTD chief said extremist material was freely available on the internet.

He added that the federal and provincial governments should pass a law in this connection and tell the agencies concerned to keep an eye
on the posting and sharing
of such material on the internet.

To a query, Abbasi said the details of the funding of madrasas and their accounts should be shared with the special branch.

“Police should be empowered to investigate illegal money transactions under
the anti-money laundering law.”