New Delhi, Nov 19 (IANS): Pakistan Minister for Information and Broadcasting Fawad Chaudhry said that schools and colleges that are the major reason behind extremism and not madrassas, as is the popular belief, Geo News reported.

"In the 90s, teachers were appointed to preach extremism," the Information Minister said.

Chaudhry said the state and government are "not fully prepared" to deal with extremism, adding that they had to "take a step back" while dealing with the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP), the report added.

The Minister said the country faces "no danger from America or Europe", but "the biggest danger is from within".

Chaudhry lamented that the menace of extremism is one that could isolate and destroy a country, and unfortunately, Pakistan "was pushed" towards it for political and foreign policy reasons, the Geo News report said.

He noted that in case of a civil war, the state's control would continue to diminish and "groups" will take over.

Chaudhry said that to root out extremism, the narrative surrounding it would have to be changed.

He said having an extremist point of view was not an issue, as people can have differing views — and no one could stop a person from thinking in such a manner.

"But, such a person cannot be allowed to attack the government with Kalashnikovs, having a different point of view and imposing it on others are two different things."