October 30, 2018: CODE PAKISTAN held a consultation with the students and faculty of the International Islamic University, Islamabad, on countering on-campus violent extremism in Pakistan. The consultations focused on the ideological imprint of extremist organizations in educational institutions and drug abuse in campuses and the role of campus administration.
The students and faculty members of the International Islamic University were of the view that the society in Pakistan had become increasingly intolerant and that people, including university students, were increasingly unable to speak freely on matters of critical importance. They called for greater clarity on the definitional aspects of terrorism and extremism for evolving more suitable solutions.
The students and faculty members of the International Islamic University further stated that educational institutions needed to fill the gaps that allowed extremist organizations to infect the minds of students. Some participants were of the view that banning student groups to counter radicalization was not a good idea. They suggested that instead of banning such groups there was a need for promoting harmony between them. Some students also highlighted the need for trainings to faculty members of the universities to become better role models for students.
The students and faculty members of the International Islamic University supported respect for cultural diversity, allowing for the peaceful celebration of religious and cultural practices. They called for establishing a grievance cell at universities where students could register their complaints along with a counselling center.
The students and faculty members of the International Islamic University expressed their support for a merit-based system in which the teachers are not allowed to influence students with their biases. They called for religious and ethnic harmony through literature and reading, which, they maintained, promoted greater understanding and tolerance of divergent ideas. They also suggested creating positions for departmental student advisors to better monitor the wellbeing of students.
Alongside the students, the participants of the consultation included the following prominent faculty members of the International Islamic University: Dr. Jabbar Khattak, Dr. Asad Ghufran, Dr. Tariq Javed, Dr. Tariq Rafique, Dr. Ameer Sultan, Mr. Muhammad Noman, Mr. Sabir Zaman, Mr. Shabir Hussain, Mr. Syed Zeeshan Haider, Mr. Abdur Rehman, and Mr. Majid Bashir.