The third meeting of the Board of Governors of the Punjab Center of Excellence on Countering Violent Extremism took place at the Home Department under the supervision of Provincial Minister Khawaja Salman Rafique, who chairs the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order. Officials presented a detailed briefing on the Centre’s setup, objectives and initiatives launched since its inception.
Senior officials in attendance included Secretary Home Punjab Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi, Secretary Information Syed Tahir Raza Hamdani, Secretary Law Asif Bilal Lodhi, Chief Coordination Officer COE-CVE Ghulam Saghir Shahid and Vice Chancellor Government College University Lahore Professor Muhammad Umar Chaudhry. Chairman Punjab Higher Education Commission Professor Dr. Iqrar Ahmed Khan joined alongside senior police officers and representatives from education, finance and religious affairs departments, plus prominent academics and consultants.
The Board welcomed new members and expressed satisfaction with the Centre’s performance over the past two months, directing a review of implementation from the previous session. Key approvals included job descriptions and eligibility criteria for assistant directors, a three-year action plan, a strategic framework and a policy brief to guide future work.
Approval was also granted for recruitment of social media and fellowship consultants, renovation of the office building and procurement of furniture to operationalise the Centre effectively. The BoG instructed that the next meeting be convened within one month to monitor progress and ensure timely execution of decisions.
Speaking at the meeting, Khawaja Salman Rafique highlighted the growing importance of the Centre in the current national context and reiterated the Punjab government’s commitment to eliminating extremism and promoting a peaceful society. He noted that practical measures are being implemented and that integration of key departments such as education and information into the Board will strengthen coordinated action against violent ideologies.
Secretary Home Dr. Ahmed Javed Qazi emphasised the central role of youth and civil society in fostering tolerance and harmony, saying the Centre is engaging stakeholders across the province to advance counter extremism work and build a cohesive social response to radicalisation.
