Lectures 5. Dynamics of Religious Extremism in Pakistan

Dynamics of Religious Extremism in Pakistan

1. 1 Dynamics of Religious Extremism in Pakistan Waseem Almas

2. 2 Religious extremism refers to the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups who use religion as a justification for extreme or violent behavior. These actions often go beyond the accepted norms of the broader religious community and can include promoting intolerance, violence, or hatred against those who do not share the same beliefs. Definition

3. 3 How Religion played its role in pre partition era Pre- Partition era Decline of Moghals and abdication of authority to religious reformers. Two Nations theory Transformation of religious identity in pre independence era. Khilafat movement Migration to Afghanistan Post Partition Annexation of Kashmir by Mahraja Hari Sngh

4. 4 Quaid-d- Azam realised the dangers for the society in use of religion in politics. In his first address to the Constituent Assembly of Pakistan on 11th August 1947, he declared that religious faith and sectarian beliefs would play no part in politics in Pakistan . He clearly said “…now you are free….you are free to go to your temples…you are free to go your mosques or whatever your religious place may be….it is personal affair of everyone….it has nothing to do with the business of state”. Objective Resolution Quaid e Azam 11th August 1947 speech

5. 5 Sectarian divisions. Total population of over 245 million out of which almost 96.4 percent population is Muslim. Two major sects are Shia and Sunni. Sunni: Hanfi , maliki , Shafi and Hanbali . Hanfi : Deobandis and Barelvis . Ahl -e-Hadith and Wahabi Shia Schools of Thought : Twelvers , Ismailis , Zaidis . 1974 Bhutto played very important role in the declaration of Ahmedis as non-Muslims constitutionally.

6. 6 Extremism during Zia- ul - Haq Regime Policy of Islamization Extend his tenure in the name of Jihad against Soviet Union in Afghanistan. In 1979, Zia- ul - Haq had introduced Hadood ordinance, Shariat Courts, Zakat and Usher ordinance. Islamic studies were organized according to the Sunni fiqqah .

7. 7 Iranian Revolution and Its Impact on Pakistan Iranian revolution in 1979 had varying effects on countries like Pakistan which have a sizeable Shia Population. For the first time in the history of Islam the Shia Ulema took the realm of power in Iran. The revolutionary government in Iran was generous in extending the material and moral collaboration to the radical elements of Shia sect in Pakistan. On the other hand, Saudi Arabia and its allies were frightened by the Iranian revolution and they also provided assistance to the influential parties of their respective creed in Pakistan.

8. 8 Afghan-Soviet War and Costs for Pakistan Afghan refugees migrated to Pakistan Massive Afghan people affected the Pakistan’s economy Unemployment problems for the local population Soviet Union initiated a hostile campaign against Pakistan wile supporting Baloch liberation movement. Pakistan had established many bases and centers that trained terrorist groups for armed riots in Afghanistan. drugs and lethal weapons found their way into Pakistan. Became frontline state of American sponsored Jihad launched in Afghanistan against Russia.

9. 9 Factors for the Rise of Extremism in Pakistan Establishment of Madrassa Culture In Pakistan, government policies in early eighties produced a new fast-expanding breed of madrasas, which has contributed to the sectarian divide . At the time of independence Pakistan had its share of around 250 madaris which rose to 2862 in 1988 and their number has increased to well over 11000 in 2005 . Most madaris follow either Deobandi (64 per cent) or Barelvi (24 per cent) fiqqah (Islamic jurisprudence), but the Ahl -e-Hadith (6 per cent) and Ahl -e- Tashih (less then two per cent) branches are also represented. In 1987 total enrolment in these madaris was estimated at 371904 with about 13330 foreign students . The estimated number of students studying in the madaris both male and female in 2005 was 1.5 million .

10. 10 2: Establishment of Sectarian Organizations Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) and Lashkar-e- Jhangvi ( Lej ) Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP) was founded at Jhang , as a sub organization of JUI in 1984 by late Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi as a local anti- Shia religious and political leader . They follow Deobandi and Wahabi philosophy . After Iran revolution Shia community in Pakistan was encouraged and this organization was formed to counter Shia domination . The Saudi Arab also donated heavily to Sunni madrassas to support them. Anti- Shia

11. 11 Lashkar -e- Jhangvi (LEJ) is responsible for the worst kind of sectarian violence in Punjab against Shia community . The LEJ was formed in 1996 and it shares the political objectives and operation modes of SSP, in fact it is hard to distinguish between SSP and LEJ. The SSP modes of attack are generally the murder of important Shia members and Lej usually targeted the professionals of Shia community (for instance doctors, teachers, major leaders and scholars). Anti- Shia Lashkar -e- Jhangvi (LEJ)

12. 12 3:Anti Suni : Tehrik -e- FiqahJafria (TFJ) and Sipah -e-Muhammad Pakistan (SMP) Tehrik -e- Jafria (TFJ) led by Syed Agha Hamid Ali Mousavi was relatively moderate group. However, after Shia Sunni clashes in 1988, TFJ also founded a militant group named ‘ Mukhtar Force’ with the objectives protecting Shia worship places and providing guards to mourning processions. The group has also floated Mukhtar student’s organization . Sippah Muhammad Pakistan (SMP) led by Maulana Abbas was formed in 1993 . It is a splinter group of TehrikJaffria Pakistan. The militant Sunni organization (SSP), which has become a byword for its violent brand of anti-Shia fanaticism , lost more than a dozen workers within just one week of its inception. At present, SMP acknowledged to have almost 3,000 equipped members . The main objective of SMP is to form a Shia government in Pakistan which can protect them from Sunni dominance and ruling .

13. 13 Jundallah in an Islamist militant group associated with the Tehrik -i-Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The group was commanded by the Emir of TTP Hakimullah Mehsud until his death on November 1, 2013. In 2003 , Jundallah was formed and it is believed to have about 1000 members. Jundallah is Sunni group and it also has links with Saudi Arabia which is center of. Jundallah has linked to Al-Qaeda and Taliban and it is also involved in drug trafficking. It is made by Sunni extremist who hate Shia community and its purpose is to stimulate conflicts among the two sects of Islam Moreover, Iran blamed that through this group the U.S and Britain are creating ethnic problems and instability in Iran. Anti Shia group 4: Emergence of Sunni group Jundallah

14. 14 5:Religious Extremism during President Musharraf Regime The alliance between mullah and military was at its peak during the Musharraf era which served two objectives of Musharraf. The first task was to bring the religious parties into mainstream politics and the second was to justify his rule to alarm the world of the increasing religious extremism in Pakistan . After 9/11, Pakistan condition was antagonistic and tense. The emergence of religious extremism in Pakistan promoted terrorism. The government actions against militant groups got limited success and resulted in terrorist activities in the country. There was a sense of insecurity among the people and there is no short solution to this problem. The militant extremists targeted the children, women, students, hotel, and mosques.

15. 15 Terrorist Activities in Islamabad i. Lal Masjid Incident The Lal Masjid incident in July 2007 revealed the mosque's links with the Taliban and Al-Qaeda, involving extremist activities such as kidnappings and demands for Sharia law. The government's operation to end the mosque's illegal activities led to increased terrorism, including numerous suicide bombings, highlighting the escalating extremism and its impact on Pakistan's security.

16. 16 In 2007, former Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto's assassination and Musharraf's imposition of emergency rule deepened Pakistan's political instability, enabling militant infiltration and raising concerns about nuclear security. Assassination of Benazir Bhutto

17. 17 The attack on International Islamic University (October, 2009) can be another example of extremism and terrorism that prevailed in the country. This incident got serious criticism by people from all over the world generally and from Pakistan particularly, this indicated that after 8 years from 9/11 Pakistan was still struggling to counter the extremism and terrorism. Unfortunately our security policies are defective and we have lack of consensus on the question of how to deal with extremism which hinders the way for effective measures against extremism Attack on International Islamic University Islamabad

18. 18 Different Cases of Religious Extremism in Pakistan Killings of Hazara Community in Baluchistan 2011 : Gilgit-Baltistan : 9 people died in 21 sectarian incidents. February 28, 2012 : Gilgit-Baltistan : Jundullah militants killed 18 Shia residents returning from pilgrimage in Iran. The attack sparked riots, resulting in 22 additional deaths. April 2, 2012 : Gilgit-Baltistan : A grenade attack against a protest rally in Chilas led to sectarian clashes, including the murder of 10 Shia bus passengers. General Trends : April and May 2012 : 46 Shia Hazara were killed in sectarian violence in Quetta. June 28, 2012 : A bomb attack near Quetta on a bus transporting Shia pilgrims killed 15 people.

19. 19 The  Badami Bagh incident  occurred on  March 9, 2013 , in Lahore, Pakistan. A mob rampaged through a Christian neighborhood called  Joseph Colony  in the Badami Bagh police precincts. The violence erupted after a local Christian man was  erroneously accused of blasphemy . During the attack, over  100 houses  were ransacked and torched by the mob. The inhabitants fled for their lives, and not a single house in the colony was spared. BadamiBagh Incident (March, 2013)

20. 20 On  September 22, 2013 , a tragic incident occurred at  All Saints Church  in  Peshawar, Pakistan .  Two suicide bombers  carried out an attack outside the church at the end of a Sunday service. The devastating attack resulted in the loss of  127 lives  and left  170 people injured . At the time of the explosion, approximately  600 parishioners  were on the front lawn of the church, having lunch. The impact of the blasts was so severe that the church was  scattered with body parts. Incident of All-Saints Church in Peshawar

21. 21 Year No. of incidents Killed Injured 2002 63 121 257 2003 22 102 103 2004 19 187 619 2005 62 160 354 2006 38 201 495 2007 80 521 757 2008 79 842 654 2009 152 446 587 2010 152 666 1569 2011 139 397 626 2012 213 563 900 2013 74 421 551 Total 1093 4624 7472 Sectarian Violence in Pakistan: 2002-2013 Year

22. 22 Existing Legal framework The Anti-Terrorism Act (ATA) of 1997 aimed to prevent terrorism, sectarian violence, and ensure speedy trials for terrorism offenses. The ATA included provisions to combat activities contributing to terrorism, such as hate speech and financing. Over time, the ATA was amended to introduce more stringent measures, aligning with the evolving nature of terrorist threats and the requirements of the United Nations Security Council . Sectarian Hatred, Incitement to Hatred, Incitement to Sectarian Animosity, Raising Money for Terrorism, Using Money for Terrorism, Funding for Terrorism, Money Laundering .

23. 23 Reforming Criminal Justice System Reforming the criminal justice system to ensure transparency, efficiency, fairness, and adherence to human rights and international norms is essential to prevent extremist appeals for Sharia law and violence, as seen in Swat. Reforms Developing technical expertise Fighting violent religious extremism with police efforts involves using technical skills like: Digital forensics: Looking into digital evidence. Cybersecurity : Protecting against online threats. Open-source intelligence (OSINT): Analyzing information from public sources.

24. 24 Community policing: Community policing helps prevent religious violence by involving local authorities, police, and community members. They work together through education, public events, and technology. Trust is built through regular communication and meetings with community leaders. Data Sharing & Collaboration Enhance data sharing among law enforcement agencies to improve coordination and understanding of the threat landscape. Promote collaboration and information exchange between national and international intelligence organizations.

25. 25 Creating awareness: It is important to work to spread knowledge and increase public awarness of the violent extremism threat. Institutions of higher learning should implement curricula that prioritize respect for variety, tolerance, and pluralism. To involve civil society, religious leaders, and local communities in thwarting extremist narratives and promoting social cohesion, public awareness campaigns

26. Thanks! Do you have any suggestions & questions 26