Project on implementation of anti-extremism laws launched

Islamabad: To provide research based data and technical support on the implementation of Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) laws to provincial assembly members, a project on training and regular support of research was launched in Punjab.

Launched by Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), the project will lead to a thorough research on the Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) laws and challenges to its implementation by the district and as well as provincial government. The research will provide a research based evidence to the members of provincial assembly of Punjab.

As a next step the members of Punjab Assembly will be provided a thorough training on the CVE laws and way forward for its implementation at provincial as well as district and union council level. The members will also be provided a regular technical support to the members and develop a Parliamentary Working Group (PWG) of the members of Punjab Assembly especially focused on the 10 districts of Southern Punjab as a pilot phase. The members will be facilitated to address the issues of implementation in the house of the Punjab Assembly and to create awareness among the local communities’ thorough interaction sessions with the constituents.

The cause of the growing extremist incidents can be partially traced to challenges in implementation of pertinent laws that inhibit spreading of hate based on religion and sect. With poor implementation of such laws, individuals openly confront each other and promote intolerance in the society. They continue to influence vulnerable segments of the society and usually play upon cultural, social, religious or economic divides among the targeted population, fuelling hate and intolerance.

To address this menace, the government of Punjab has enacted over a dozen CVE laws in last 15 years but their implementation is still a challenge in many areas of Punjab. These laws include Punjab Vigilance Committees Act 2016, Punjab Information of Temporary Residents Act 2015, The Punjab Sound Systems (Regulations) Act 2015, Punjab Maintenance of Public Order Act 2015, The Punjab Prohibition of Expressing Matters on Walls Act 1995 and The Punjab Prohibition of Hate Speech law. A comprehensive national action plan was developed in 2015 in consultation with all the stakeholders, but the implementation on the national action plan is still a challenge for the provincial as well as federal government.

Vigilance Committees Act 2016 was made to engage the local communities at district, sub-divisional and union council level to ensure an effective watch system such as passing on information regarding banned literature including wall chalking, audios, videos and monitor collection of donations for promotion of proscribed outfits. However, the provincial government has not yet formed such committees at the union council level in majority of the districts. Similarly, the Punjab government promulgated the Punjab Sound Systems (Regulation) (Amendment) Ordinance, allowing for external sound systems (loudspeakers) at the places of worship (mosques) in the province instead of one.

The launching ceremony was addressed by Syed Kausar Abbas, Director of Sustainable Social Development Organization (SSDO), Member of Punjab Assembly and Spokesperson of PML-N Malik Ahmed Khan, Parliamentary Leader of Pakistan Peoples’ Party (PPP) MPA Syed Hassan Murtaza, Chairman Punjab Education Foundation Wasiq Qayyum Abbasi, MPA Umer Tanveer Butt, Former Chairman Youth Caucus of Punjab Assembly Asif Mehmood, Director General Parliamentary Affairs Inayat-ullah Lak attended the event along with large number of people from different walks of life.