Understanding Deradicalization Programs in Pakistan: Recommendations for Policy and Practice

Over the last fifteen years, Pakistan has become a hub for radical Islamist militant groups. Despite the rising militancy and increased terrorist attacks, however, the country has yet to implement a comprehensive deradicalization strategy. Lack of access to mainstream education, poverty, and weak legal and political institutions are major contributors to a growing league of young jihadi recruits. Most of the deradicalization programs are led by the military, are concentrated in the Swat valley, and has little connection to scattered efforts by police and civil administration elsewhere in the country. Although the Pakistani army and civil society institutions have taken steps to counter violent militant ideologies, the government has yet to step up to the plate. Most of the deradicalization programs, in Pakistan and elsewhere, focus on the importance of economic incentives and alternative livelihoods. Ideological counter-messaging and efforts to prevent recruits from reconnecting with militant networks are also elements of successful programs.