States have failed to evolve comprehensive counter-radicalisation and de-radicalisation responses because of their largely security-centric approaches and less emphasis on dealing with extremism and radicalism in socio-cultural, economic and political perspectives, said scholars.
This argument emerged as a consensus point among the participants of a focused group discussion on assessment of de-radicalisation models organised by Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) on Wednesday.
The participants noted drivers of radicalisation may differ in different countries but few parallels could be drawn as the phenomenon follows some common patterns. Dr Tahir Abbas, associate professor of sociology at Fatih University, Istanbul, in his keynote address, presented a summary of his research findings. Abbas noted that social exclusion, Islamophobia, lack of effective theological and political leadership, regressive anti-terror laws and geo-political events were principal factors in the radicalisation in the UK.
He emphasised that the ideological factors only facilitated the process whereas common driving factors of radicalisation lied in socio-cultural, political and economic milieus.
Radicalisation, according to Dr Abbas, was almost converse or inverse of Islamophobia and defined Islam as a monolithic bloc, static and unresponsive to change. He also noted that misrepresentation and misreporting of Muslims create the concept of Islamophobia in the West, which is a major cause of radicalisation and vice versa.
Commenting on the UK government’s efforts, he said that community engagement programmes have not proved effective and Muslim communities should be encouraged to develop alternative media and social organisations instead of facilitating them to be part of mainstream system in the UK.
The other discussants included Dr Khadim Hussain, head, Bacha Khan Educational Trust, Shabana Fayyaz and Salma Malik from Quid-e-Azam University, Arshi Saleem Hashmi from the National Defence University, Adnan Rehmat, director, Intermedia Pakistan, Imran Khan, head, Khudi Pakistan, Rashid Bukhari, director, Peace Education Institute, Hassan Khan, anchorperson of Khyber News, political analysts, Shakil Chuadhry, Aqeel Yusafzai and Moazzam Hashmi.
