The third meeting of the Board of Governors of the Punjab Center of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism convened at the Home Department with Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique presiding. Senior officials attended the session, including Secretary Home Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi, Secretary Information Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani, Secretary Law Asif Bilal Lodhi, Chief Coordination Officer COE CVE Ghulam Saghir Shahid and academic leaders such as Vice Chancellor Government College University Lahore Professor Muhammad Umar Chaudhry and Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission Professor Dr. Iqrar Ahmed Khan.
Officials from education, finance and religious affairs departments were present alongside senior police officers and consultants as the board received a detailed briefing on the establishment, objectives and ongoing initiatives of the Punjab CVE Center. Members welcomed newly appointed participants and expressed satisfaction with the Centre’s performance since its launch two months ago.
The board reviewed implementation of decisions from the previous meeting and approved key administrative and programmatic measures. These approvals covered job descriptions and eligibility criteria for assistant directors, a three year action plan, a strategic framework and a policy brief. The Board also greenlighted the hiring of social media and fellowship consultants and authorized renovation of the office building with procurement of necessary furniture.
Directives from the meeting included convening the next Board session within one month to monitor progress. Khawaja Salman Rafique underscored the growing importance of the Punjab CVE Center in the present national context and reaffirmed the provincial government’s commitment to eliminating extremism and promoting peaceful coexistence across communities.
Secretary Home Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi highlighted the critical role of youth and civil society in fostering tolerance and harmony, noting that the Centre is actively engaging all stakeholders. He added that integrating key departments such as education and information into the Board will strengthen coordinated efforts to counter violent extremism in Punjab.
