Countering Violent Extremism in Pakistan: An Appraisal of Pakistan’s CVE Initiatives

Abstract

Countering Violent Extremism (CVE) has become a daunting task around the globe because of the changing nature of conflicts. To address the issue, this paper investigates the phenomenon of violent extremism and the drivers contributing to it with special reference to Pakistan in the last two decades. It also examines the measures adopted by Pakistan in its CVE programme, its implementation and overall efficiency. At present, Pakistan is faced with multiple challenges. The phenomenon of violent extremism is one of the major challenges confronting Pakistan's security. The recurrent drivers of violent extremism, its resurgence by terrorist organisations and their linkages to hostile foreign agencies are not only disrupting Pakistan’s social fabric, but are also adversely affecting its economy and development.