Radicalization Spreading in Pakistani Universities Experts are of the opinion that in Pakistani universities Islamic radicalization is on the rise.

Quaid-e-Azam university Islamabad is not only considered to be one the best public sector universities in Pakistan but it also occupies a respectable position in the whole of Asia. An expert of atomic Physics and a former professor of the Quaid-e-Azam University Dr. Pervez Hoodbhouy says that there are four mosques in university but not a single library. He said that till 1977, the date of the takeover of government by the former dictator Genral Zia ul Haq, the university was considered a liberal institution. The professor said that General Zia during his ten year reign managed to introduce radical Islam in many fields of life with the help of organized backing from government institutions. Following this trend many other universities have also embraced radical Islam. According to him there are many reasons for radicalization in the universities. Firstly, the students coming from different colleges and schools are taught the same curriculum. They are fed with the same doctrines and set of thoughts. They only bring those same thoughts to the universities with them. Their teachers are also a bi-product of the same system. Hence, they further support the mindset of these students. Secondly, there are a number of speakers like Zaid Hamid who are invited to universities but when speakers with different ideologies try to come to those universities, they are refused by the authorities. This is why the students are exposed to a specific way of thinking. Houd Bhouy said that there are a few students in the university who would still dance, sing and read short stories like the way it was a few decades ago. The Vice Chancellor of Quaid-eAzam university Mr. Masoom Yasinzai disagrees with the professor and says in his university there are no extremist elements at all and the students take part in dance parties and musical concerts. The VC furthered that there are radical groups in The Punjab University who stop students from organizing musical programmes but the same is not true for the Quaid-e-Azam University. Dr. Buoy said that the ultimate victory will be achieved by liberalism but it will require great efforts on our part to defeat radicalism. He said that we should learn from the history of Europe. The way religious radicalism dominated Europe during the Dark Ages, we are also supposed to experience such radicalization but eventually logic, liberalism and wisdom will succeed. He said that media should play a role to make the youngsters think critically and should also help them develop in different fields of life so that radicalism is defeated for good.

New Tendency: Hatred Amongst Youth Towards Militancy and Extremism on the Rise The experts are of the opinion that there is an increase in hatred towards militancy and extremism in the youth of the Khyber Pukhtoon Khwa province of Pakistan. In the same context, Mujtaba Hassan, the brother of an eighteen year old Aitizaz Hassan, who died last Monday in an attempt to stop a suicide attacker in the Hangu district of the KPK province, said it was a lifelong desire of the late Aitzaz Hassan to foil a suicide attack. Mujtaba said that Aitzaz came face to face with a suicide attacker and stopped him from achieving his aim. He gave his life for his nation and his country and has made all of us proud. Similarly, a scholar of the of the International Relations department of Peshawar University Mr. Tariq Majeed said that he and his friends have made a plan to visit all parts of the KPK province and educate the young people to curb militancy and terrorism. Mr. Tariq Majeed further said that he plans to take some volunteers with him to different parts of the KPK province to educate the youngsters in villages by organizing meetings in mosques, public halls and other places of gathering. He thinks that such efforts will change the minds of the young people and bring them towards education and personal development. An intellectual and an expert in social studies, Mr. Khadim Hussain from Peshawar thinks that there is a new trend and tendency developing in the youth of the KPK province towards hatred for militancy and extremism. He said that children of different ages from 14yrs to 20 yrs, irrespective of the fact that whether they are studying or not, have developed a hatred for militancy and the ongoing war on terror. Similarly if one generally takes Pakistan or Afghanistan in perspective then one can see that people have distanced themselves from the different fighting groups fighting in both the countries. There is an urge amongst the youngsters to participate in the overall development of their nations. This urge is being inspired by the symbolic young leaders like Malala etc. In Pakistan the College for Youth Activism and Development is playing a vital role by generating useful activities for the youth of the country. The CEO of this college Mr. Raziq Faheem said that there are around 20000 youngsters enrolled in his college which is an increased number as compared to the past. He said that his strategy is to approach those youngsters who have remained exposed to militancy and terrorism but have now changed their mind. He said that such youngsters always respond to his call and have shown great thirst for change. Mr. Raziq Faheem said that the way to stop and curb terrorism in the country is by engaging the youngsters in meaningful activities like education, sports, literary activities and social work. He further said that NGOs and the government should help and support all such efforts that are aimed at distancing the youth of the country from terrorism and extremism. Mr. Mujahid Ali Bangash, father of the late Aitzaz Hassan who laid down his life in an attempt to stop a suicide attacker in Hangu district of the KPK province, said that he is proud of his son who sacrificed his

life in order to stop the suicide attacker laying waste to the lives of other innocent people. He said that the martyrdom of his son has made his mother weep but this sacrifice has saved many mothers from crying and agony.