Parliamentarians Call for Stronger Legislative Oversight and Institutional Coordination to Counter Terrorism and Violent Extremism in Punjab

Lahore, September 2: Nazrana Times Ali Imran Chattha 
The Punjab Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism (CoE-CVE), Home Department, organized a Provincial Policy Dialogue with Parliamentarians on Strengthening Legislative Engagement and Institutional Coordination for Counter Terrorism and Countering Violent Extremism in Punjab. The British High Commission and the Sustainable Social Development Organization were the collaborating partners for the policy dialogue. Chairman standing committee of the cabinet on Law and Order Mr. Khawaja Salman Rafiq presided over the policy dialogue. Khawaja Salman Rafique appreciated the collaborative initiative and reaffirmed the provincial government's commitment to promoting coordinated, inclusive, and sustainable approaches to preventing terrorism and violent extremism. He said that the recommendations generated during the consultation will contribute to future policy reforms, strengthened parliamentary oversight mechanisms, and enhanced cooperation among provincial and federal stakeholders. Khawaja Salman Rafique said that our elders made great sacrifices for the Pakistan we have today. We all have to work for the completion and fulfilment of Pakistan’s vision. Almighty Allah has bestowed Pakistan with great honour and recognition at the global level, he added. Khawaja Salman said that the Centre of Excellence for Countering Violent Extremism is playing a key role in eliminating extremism from society. The Punjab Government has restored peace in the riverine (Katcha) areas and allocated a development budget of Rs 22 billion, he added. For the establishment of peace, religious scholars, government officers, politicians and people from every walk of life must play their role. He said the credit for the registration of 70,000 mosques goes to the Home Department. Delivering the keynote address, Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi, Home Secretary Punjab, underscored the Government of Punjab's commitment to strengthening provincial security mechanisms through coordinated policy implementation, improved intelligence sharing, and stronger collaboration among relevant institutions. Home Secretary Punjab said that the Protection of the lives and property of the public is the foremost priority of the Government of Punjab. Monitoring has been strengthened through joint check posts in districts located along inter-provincial borders. He said that the Government of Punjab is providing honoraria to 70,000 Imam Masjid Sahibaan in a dignified manner. He emphasized the importance of legislative support in creating an enabling environment for effective counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism initiatives. During the technical session, Mr. Ghulam Sagheer Shahid, Chief Coordination Officer, Punjab Centre of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism, highlighted the mandate of the Punjab COE-CVE in countering violent extremism through research, advocacy programs and strategic communication. The dialogue brought together Members of the Provincial Assembly of Punjab, senior government officials, law enforcement agencies, policy experts, development partners to deliberate on strengthening Punjab's preventive and institutional responses to terrorism and violent extremism. The speakers highlighted the critical role of parliamentarians in strengthening legislative oversight, promoting evidence-based policymaking, and fostering institutional coordination to effectively address evolving terrorism and violent extremism challenges. They emphasized that sustainable peace requires collaborative efforts among policymakers, security institutions, academia, civil society, and international partners. An interactive policy discussion followed, where parliamentarians and representatives from the Home Department, law enforcement agencies, parliamentary leaders, and civil society exchanged views on existing coordination mechanisms, legislative gaps, and opportunities for strengthening parliamentary oversight of counter-terrorism and countering violent extremism policies. Participants emphasized the need for regular engagement between legislators and security institutions, enhanced oversight through standing committees, greater investment in prevention-focused interventions, strategic communication, community resilience, and evidence-informed policymaking.