Extremism has emerged as a major threat to the security of Pakistan in recent years. Despite many warnings by veterans about
surging violence and fanaticism in the country, successive leaders have failed to work out a comprehensive strategy to arrest the trend of growing dogmatism and extremism. Again, the religious right in the country demonstrated its street power by bringing the country to a standstill and openly challenging the writ of the state. Laws related to blasphemy have become controversial as the fanatics exploit these laws to render street justice. Mob lynchings of alleged blasphemers have become a routine happening. Last year,
Mashal Khan, a student of
Abdul Wali Khan University, Mardan, was brutally murdered by an angry mob for allegedly posting blasphemous content online. Back in 2011,
Salmaan Taseer, the 26th governor of Punjab, Pakistan, was assassinated in broad daylight for allegedly stand in support of a christian woman who were convicted by a trial court for committing blasphemy. Similarly, a Christian Couple, was burned to death in 2014 for alleged blasphemy. All in all, hundreds of people have been killed by extremists in the country. The rise of T
ehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) to national spotlight offers great insights into ever increasing violence and extremism in Pakistan. A few days ago, the religious group paralyzed the country by blocking all major roads in the wake of acquittal of
Aasia Bibi, a christian woman, by the Supreme courts in blasphemy case. As a result of violence by the mob, the country suffered colossal damages of public property. All the stakeholders in the country have a consensus on the point that without curbing the menace of extremism and sectarian violence, the country cannot make progress. Following measures will prove instrumental in curtailing extremism:
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| Protesters demanding release of Mumtaz Qadri (killer of Salman Taseer) |
1. Improve socioeconomic conditions of people
Unemployment, poverty and illiteracy are the primary reasons behind why many people fall into the trap set by fanatics and extremists. The
National Internal Security of Policy (NISP, 2018-23) corroborates that there is a direct link between poverty and extremism. Poor and illiterate masses lack ability to visualize things rationally, therefore, are more vulnerable to conspiracy theories fabricated by extremists to propagate their nefarious agenda.Similarly, It becomes easy to indoctrinate unemployed and disillusioned youth. As a matter of fact, when a Muslim fails in worldly affairs, he endeavors to find peace in religion. Extremists interpret religion in their own ways and convince the young people that rulers, liberals, the West and modernity are the reasons behind their miseries. Therefore, they have to rebel against them to put things in order. It is the need of the hour that the state takes effective measures to eradicate unemployment, illiteracy and poverty.
Modern education system inculcates reason and critical thinking in people. After educating them, it is responsibility of state to create job opportunities for people.
2. Medressah and education reforms
It is imperative that all Medrassahs are registered with relevant state institutions and operate according to the constitution.
Medrassahs in the country are churning out individuals, who have little knowledge about the world. The individuals are taught the 'rigid version' of religion at seminaries for most part of their stay. Critical thinking is discouraged in seminaries. It becomes extremely difficult for them to adjust to the colorful world. Not only in seminaries, our general curricula in schools and colleges are replete with the content that pits young generation against certain countries and nations. Moreover, creative and logical thinking is not appreciated. First, all the seminaries in the country must be registered. Second, the students must be exposed to
basic math, sciences and social sciences alongside religious injunctions.
3. Regulation of social media
Extremists use social media to attract fresh recruits. They publish certain content to whip up emotions of people against so-called
"infidels". In the recent past, we saw videos circulating on social media showing Muslim kids being brutally killed or tortured by
Israeli forces, American strikes or
Indian barbarism; often, these are the tactics by used by extremists to advance their agenda. The
Arab Spring in the Middle East was unfolded in
2011 as a result of a YouTube video of the man who had burned himself in
Tunisia. Certain militant groups run campaign on social media to influence young generation. Therefore, it is responsibility of the state to shield people from violent ideologies on social media. A credible method to detect the content promoting violence and hatred should be put in place. And those promoting anarchy and chaos should be brought to justice.
4. Standard interpretation of Quran and Islamic teachings
Extremists have been so successful at attracting people because of the wrong interpretation of Quranic verses and Islamic ideals. They wrongly interpret
Quranic injunctions related to Jihad, minorities, women, modernity and science. Hence, become in rigid in their conception of Islam. To put an end to this tradition of wrong interpretation, the state needs to prepare a standard interpretation of
Quran and Islamic teachings with the help of moderate Islamic scholars. In this way, extremists will not be able to expand their fold of influence.
5. Ban militant groups
Militant groups should be shown zero-tolerance in the country. When state turns a blind eye to the activities of militant organizations in the country, more and more people fall into their trap and eventually become extremists. Therefore, all the extremists organizations operating in the country should be outlawed. The previous government had failed to nip T
ehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) in the bud. The result is that the
TLP has become more violent and its popularity has increased manifold. It has attracted thousands of young people to take extremism to another level in the country. In a blow to the state resolve against extremism, the
Jamaatud Dawa (JuD) and
Falah-e-Insaniyat Foundation (FIF) have been allowed by the
Islamabad High Court to resume their activities in the country. The country cannot afford complacency in this regard. Unless all the militant organizations are banned, there is no chance of any breakthrough against extremism.
6. A standard counter-narrative
Last but not the least, a counter-narrative needs to be worked out. In January 2018, the country had prepared
Paigham e Pakistan, a counter-narrative against extremism and terrorism, with the help of
1800 religious clerics from all sects. The document rejects all forms of extremism and terrorism as anti-Islamic. It was a step in the right direction. But where is its implementation?; all we have witnessed is growing extremism. The government missed a trick here: it has not aired
Paigham e Pakistan on media again and again to ingrain it in the minds of people.
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