Speakers at the Institute of Regional Studies in Islamabad argued that Pakistan’s cultural heritage offers a strategic asset to weaken violent extremism and strengthen social cohesion. Ambassador Jauhar Saleem said pluralism must be foregrounded as a means to build national resilience and promote an inclusive identity that counters extremist narratives while enhancing Pakistan’s international image.
Ihsan Ghani noted a persistent imbalance between tactical counter-terrorism measures and broader counter-extremism efforts focused on prevention. Referring to the National Counter Extremism Policy Guidelines, he identified recruitment, propaganda and financing as the core pillars that sustain militant groups and argued cultural initiatives can provide positive social identities that blunt extremist appeal. He recommended community festivals, local theatre, artistic exchanges and revival of traditional arts, especially in conflict-affected areas and through inter-provincial cultural festivals.
Major General (Retd.) Zahid Mahmood highlighted governance gaps and institutional weaknesses as drivers of polarization, stressing the role of educational institutions in shaping identity and belonging among youth vulnerable to radicalisation. He underlined the growing influence of social media and called for empowering young people to develop counter-narratives, increase digital literacy and foster civic responsibility as part of a cultural heritage-based response.
Amir Ghauri offered a media and policy perspective, linking economic exclusion and unemployment to vulnerability exploited by extremists. He urged parallel investment in economic opportunity, curriculum reform and stronger oversight of educational and religious institutions to complement cultural and artistic approaches.
Hassan Khan cautioned that polarization is a complex phenomenon rooted in history, politics, economics and social dynamics, and he stressed the need to highlight Pakistan’s stories of coexistence and cultural achievement. Integrating pluralistic values and a shared civic identity into educational curricula was presented as essential to long-term prevention.
Moderated by Dr. Rizwan Naseer, the seminar reiterated that while security operations can dismantle networks, sustainable resilience requires addressing the social and ideological conditions that allow extremism to re-emerge. Participants agreed Pakistan’s strategy should extend beyond security to combine cultural, educational, economic and media-based measures within a coherent national framework. The event drew academicians, researchers, media professionals and students who discussed practical steps to leverage cultural heritage for peacebuilding and counter-extremism across Pakistan.
