Understanding Pakistan’s Deradicalization Programming
Pakistan has struggled with Islamic militancy since the rise of the mujahideen in the 1980s. In the late 2000s, the Pakistan Army began establishing rehabilitation centers in the Swat Valley in an effort to deradicalize former Taliban fighters and other militants and reintegrate them into their communities. This report contrasts Pakistan’s deradicalization approach with the community-based program used in Denmark and the widely different prison-based program used in Saudi Arabia, and identifies areas in which the army’s approach could benefit from more extensive partnering with civilian-based organizations.
About the Report
Based on fieldwork conducted in Pakistan, this report explores the Pakistan Army’s approach to deradicalization programming. The research discusses lessons learned from Pakistan’s experience with deradicalization programming and formulates a set of recommendations based on international best practices. The research was supported by a grant from the Asia Center at the United States Institute of Peace.
About the Author(s)
Arsla Jawaid is a research fellow at Concord Consulting, where she specializes in understanding militancy and violent extremism. She previously served as a senior political officer on counter extremism for the British High Commission Islamabad. She has also consulted for USIP on youth radicalization in Pakistan and has worked with the UN Counter-Terrorism Committee Executive Directorate and the International Peace Institute on issues of prevention, militancy, and international security.