21 April 2025, Islamabad – Victims of terrorism often face long-term psychological, legal, and social consequences. To ensure that victims receive consistent and dignified support, the United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC), in collaboration with the European Union (EU) and the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA), hosted a three-day provincial workshop in Islamabad. The workshop aimed to implement Pakistan’s newly developed victim assistance and protection guidelines in Balochistan and equip provincial officials with tools to build an inclusive, coordinated response framework. The workshop brought together 21 participants, including 7 women, from the Home, Social Welfare Department, Health Department, Prosecution, and Counter Terrorism Departments of Balochistan.
These workshops are part of a national training series to translate victim assistance policy into practical, province-level implementation. They are designed to improve institutional readiness and ensure provincial systems respond effectively to the needs of terrorism victims.
The first day of the workshop opened with remarks from representatives of UNODC and NACTA. Dr. Khuram Iqbal, Professor, National Defence University, a national expert on terrorism and victim data, led sessions on the situational context in Pakistan and how to identify and register victims using national databases. Ms. Saania Rubab, Senior Program Associate at UNODC, explained the roles of Victim Support Officers across departments. Barrister Muhammad Abubakar, a senior private legal practitioner, outlined the legal frameworks guiding victim support, while journalist Dr. Ahtisham Ali, a journalist focused on victims' reporting, provided guidance on ethical media practices and protecting victim privacy.
The second day focused on institutional responsibilities and ethical care. Dr. Khuram Iqbal conducted interactive discussions on countering violent extremism through victim empowerment. Dr. Uzma Ali, psychologist, from the Institute of Clinical Psychology, delivered a session on ethical principles for service providers supporting trauma-affected individuals. Access to justice, inter-agency referrals, long-term support, and ensuring victim participation during trials were discussed in detail.
On the final day, the participants took part in a comprehensive scenario-based exercise simulating a multi-agency response to victims' need-spanning emergency, mid-term, and long-term needs. Group presentations were followed by closing remarks and a certificate distribution ceremony, acknowledging the active contributions of Baluchistan’s provincial officials.
This workshop represented a major step toward operationalising Pakistan’s victim support framework at the provincial level. Supported under the EU-funded Countering and Preventing Terrorism in Pakistan (CPTP) project and implemented by UNODC in collaboration with NACTA. This activity is part of an ongoing effort to strengthen Pakistan’s institutional response to terrorism by enhancing provincial coordination and support systems for victims.
