November 22, 2018: CODE PAKISTAN held a consultation with the students and faculty of the Balochistan University of Information Technology, Engineering, and Management Sciences (BUITEMS), Quetta, on countering on-campus violent extremism in Pakistan. The consultation focused on exploring inter-university coordination for promoting CVE research and promoting university-madrasah interaction.
The students and faculty members of BUITEMS shared that BUITEMS was established in 2002. They added that BUITEMS had, since its establishment, taken the responsibility not only of academic instruction but also of nation-building through curricular, co-curricular, and extra-curricular activities. They further added that despite security concerns, BUITEMS was playing its role in the elimination of terrorism, extremism, and violent ideologies from the campus, as well as the community. The students and faculty members of BUITEMS shared that there were 30 different student bodies involved in cultural and literary activities, as well as the promotion of art in BUITEMS. They further added that students from different cultures, ethnicities, sects, and religions participated in such activities together.
The faculty members of BUITEMS shared that 90 percent of the students of the institution were from Balochistan but 10 percent also hailed from other provinces of the country. The faculty members of BUITEMS appreciated the idea of inter-university coordination for research on CVE. They added that there was a need for research and teaching on how to cultivate peace, tolerance, and inclusivity among the youth, especially among the students of the terrorism-affected areas like Balochistan. The faculty members of BUITEMS stressed the need for psychological and social counseling of the students as well as communities for the promotion of peace, tolerance, and inclusivity. They especially stressed the need for involving university students in counseling of the illiterate members of the society on countering violent extremism.
Alongside the students, the participants of the consultation included the following prominent faculty members of BUITEMS: Ahsan Achakzai, Director of the Center of Excellence on China-Pakistan Economic Corridor (CPEC), Mr. Habbat Shah, Dr. Tehseen Zehra, Mr. Nawab Zada, Ms. Shumaila Siddique, Ms. Sobia Faisal, Ms. Mehreen Faiza, Ms. Shehzadi Laiba Burq, and Mr. Sameen Aslam. The consultation was part of a series of consultations that CODE PAKISTAN is holding with the faculties and students of various universities across Pakistan.