Editor in Chief: Moh. Reza Huwaida Thursday, March 28th, 2024

Tightening Sphere for Secularism in Pakistan

|

Tightening Sphere for Secularism in Pakistan

During last month, Pakistan launched detrimental attack on militants’ hideout which forced thousands of people to migrate to Afghanistan. However, some Afghan analysts continued suspecting the true intention of Islamabad of possible cherry-picking attacks but the extent of attack showed that the country is increasingly getting tired of militants. Part of growing extremists has turned against the government and the friendly relation with militants will not remain indefinitely. It is what Islamabad top officials should have understood decades ago.

The reason is clear. Taliban are part of an extremist movement, boomed and developed in environment from the heart of the country. Previously, their influence was restricted to tribal areas, but no region inside the country is out of influence as well as target range. Their spectacular attacks on the most barricaded areas and slaughter of security forces on their very headquarter switch the alarm on to everyone’s who are trying to preach democracy, co-existence, and cultural and religious pluralism. The alarming sectarian violence, particularly, target of Hazaras, the small community in Bluchistan that is a great source of wealth for tolerance and multiculturalism because of they have always supported pluralism and never took part at any sectarian clashes, also weaken trust on security establishment. After series of attacks on Hazara community which have left more than 400 dead since the start of 2013, analysts voice concerns that individuals in military, police or security intelligence are aware of such attacks but neglect to take action, or some of them might be cooperating. Otherwise how it is possible that a ton of explosive loaded on truck and militant drive it miles away to target the community without a single security notice that also in places like Bluchistan where security checkpoints are all over the city.

So, there is no exact information about to what extent Taliban have influence on security establishment or are there Taliban infiltrators within the establishments? Though turning of forces against their comrades has not been reported yet as occur in Afghanistan, but it is widely believed that Tahrik-e-Taliban of Pakistan (TTP) enjoy the attention of military commanders. Moreover, the phenomenon of the so-called green on blue is largely related to presence of foreign security forces Afghans’. It is highly possible that once foreign security forces withdraw from the country, Afghan police and soldiers may be not instigated to empty the magazine of their weapons to chest of their Afghan colleagues.

What I am trying to say is that, however no information at my access for the level of sympathy for radical groups inside the security establishments of Pakistan, Pakistani Taliban enjoy some sort of support from specific military generals and officers.

Secondly, during recent decades Taliban, generally extremist wings and fronts, have succeeded to develop huge sympathy among public. As I said previously their influence was limited to rural areas or tribal areas where supported on religious and tribal lines, but the momentum changed to their favor. They have concentrated on prestige investment in urban areas. They now enjoy huge public sympathy across the country. Even in the most secular cities where women could walk out freely without observing Hijab, now they receive strange look from public or same sex who trying to convince hear to wear Hijab. Putting a glimpse to Hijab observation, the difference from a decade ago be witnessed. While previously, wearing Burqa looked so weird and awkward in cities like Lahore, but now it has become so formal.  Religious leaders hold huge respect than any social layers in the country.

It has become decades that religious Madressahs are the most respected and secret places. Since the start of Jihad against former Soviet Union, Madressahs have been the greatest host for Afghan youngsters where they followed religious studies. For instance Mullah Mohammad Omer, the iconic Afghan Taliban leaders, and several of group’s leaders were also students of those Madressahs.

So, due to unwritten convention, Pakistani rulers never imposed regulation on theiractivities. There have been no monitoring what these Madressahs are doing? What are their curriculum and syllabus for students? Are they involved in physical training for war or suicide bombing or not? When I was in Pakistan, when a suicide bombing hit people, angry protestors attacked and looted a Madressahwhere reportedly weapons found.

Such incidents show that militants receive training in the very such places yet government has accepted this evil due to necessity. The Jihad of Afghanistan and lasting rivalry with India compelled Pakistani rulers with secular mindset to accept such regressive activities for democracy for the sake of bigger political agenda and necessity of foreign policy.

Secular political parties and also parties like Muslim League which however was founded on the line of Shariah but does not support radical interpretationaccepted or sometime helped the growth and development of radical groups. It should be noticed that radical groups during past decades have had cozy relation with Islamabad and never tried to challenge its dominance.

But since the topple of Taliban in Afghanistan and presence of international community security forces to whom Islamabad promised to cooperate and fight against militants, the relation move in opposite way. Since then, militants pointed their guns toward the chest of Islamabad rulers often.

The byproduct of such was strategic change in militants’ general policy. Now they want to push a much favorable parties to their ideologies in order not face problem inside the country. So, secular groups are their main target to restrict their campaign and weaken their political status. 

Masood Korosh is the permanent writer of the Daily Outlook Afghanistan. He can be reached at outlookafghanistan@gmail.com

Go Top