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Pakistan has been facing internal security threats from extremism, terrorism, and militancy for several decades. These challenges have led to a struggle against different extremist groups, which has severely affected the country's internal security, stability, and progress. These profoundly entrenched phenomena have led individuals and groups to embrace extremist ideologies, undermining the nation's efforts toward stability and progress. The purpose of the study is to recognize the multifaceted nature of extremism and the hard and soft approaches by the government to counter the spread of extremist narratives and ideologies. This research explores the shift from a military approach to soft measures, including deradicalization programs, counter-narrative campaigns, educational reforms, and community-based initiatives. Through extensive secondary data collection and analysis, the impact of Pakistan's soft strategy on different target groups, such as youth, former militants, and vulnerable communities, was examined. The study revealed how drivers like political, social, and religious have been associated with violent extremism and how different extremist groups use these factors as a yardstick to get involved in violence. The analyses provide the basis for a common framework for resisting extremist ideology. It revealed that critical stakeholders, including religious leaders, civil society organizations, and educational institutions, are critical in promoting counter-narratives and fostering an environment of tolerance and moderation. By drawing insights from successful international practices and models, the study provided recommendations for strengthening Pakistan's strategy in countering extremism through community resilience, capacity building initiatives, and a comprehensive national action plan for a coordinated and sustainable approach.
Ahmad Fahim Bahadori - (Sat,) studied this question.