Sectarianism in Pakistan

Assignment

INSTITUTE OF BUSSINESS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Sectarianism in

Pakistan

Submitted by:

Muhammad Shahrukh (F13BB022)

Ali Nawaz (F13BB048)

Mahpara Arshad (F13BB027)

Maheen Fatima (F13BB033)

Zahra Chaudhry (F13BB003)

Hafiz Muhammad Uzair (F13BB032)

Sakran Hakeem Khan (F13BB044)

Sadaf Saeed (F13BB039)

Nimra Malik (F13BB026)

Submitted To:

Sir Altaf

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1 Sectarianism in Pakistan

INTRODUCTION

(Former president Pakistan: Pervaiz Musharraf)

What is Sectarianism?

“Sectarianism is a narrow minded belief that leads to prejudice discrimination & ill will

towards presumed members of religious denomination.”

Sectarianism in Islam

In Islam the major divisions are Sunni & Shia. But in Islam there is no Discrimination of

sects as it is clear from the following verses:

“And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor

of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by

His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does

Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided?” (Surat 'Āli `Imrān {3:103}).

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In above verses the believers who are united are mentioned as guided ones and the

people who are divided are mentioned as misguided folks. It means that Muslims are

misguided because of their sectarianism.

“Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not

[associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about

what they used to do.” (Al-'An`am {6:159})

In this verse Allah says that one should disassociate oneself from those who divide their

religion and break it up into sects.

These verses clearly depict the truth that unity is the favor and grace from God and

division and dissensions are the curses of God.

Sectarianism in Pakistan & Quaid- e - Azam

Sectarianism in Pakistan refers to attacks against people & places in Pakistan motivated

by antagonism towards the target sects, usually a religious group. Targets in Pakistan

may include Sunni majority, Shia and the small Ahmadi, Hindu & Christian groups.

Quaid-e-Azam was against sectarianism among Muslims. He did not just verbally advise

people of shun prejudices and abandon sectarianism but also made practical efforts in

this jihad. He started the Jihad against sectarianism by getting his sister Rehmat Bai

married to a Sunni youth”. He thus set an example to end the evil of sectarianism.

In 1946, a team of BBC came to interview Jinnah asked him that what is your religion.

Jinnah said “I am a Muslim”. They asked to which sect he belong? Jinnah replied “I

belong to the same sect to which my Hoy prophet (P.B.U.H) belonged to.”

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Sectarian conflict in Pakistan traces its roots to the Pakistani state's attempts to forge a

national identity based on Islam. Muslim nationalism in India at the start of the Pakistan

movement was broadly pan-Islamic in nature and aloof to sectarianism. However, as

early as the 1950s when new textbooks were commissioned for junior classes, the official

narrative began to shift.

Munir report 1959 In 1954 the Pakistan government appointed a court of inquiry into the anti-Ahmadi

violence. The Munir Commission, named after the Supreme Court chief justice who

headed it, published a report that contained a very prescient assessment of future

Islamist politics in Pakistan. It concluded that the government should keep out of the

business of defining who is, or is not, a Muslim and of how Islam is to be enforced as the

state religion:

“Keeping in view the several definitions given by the ulema (of who is a Muslim) need we make any

comment except that no two learned divines are agreed on this fundamental? If we attempt our own

definition as each learned divine has done and that definition differs from that given by all others, we

unanimously go out of the fold of Islam. And if we adopt the definition given by any one of the ulema,

we remain Muslims according to the view of that alim but kafirs according to the definition of everyone

else. ... What is happening now seems almost the writing on the wall, and God help us if we do not stop

these . . . People from cutting each other’s throat.”

Zia’s Rule

In addition to the emphasis on a singular Muslim identity, which excluded the Shias, the

1974 constitutional amendment stoked fresh fires of sectarianism by launching apostasy

verdicts against the Ahmadi community of Pakistan. Under continuing rule of

Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, sectarianism in Pakistan, especially in Karachi and South

Punjab, became violent as the process of Islamization began in the Pakistani judicial

system. Zia's rule fostered the growth of sectarianism in a number of ways. It created

among the Shia community a perception that his government was moving rapidly

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towards the establishment of a Sunni Hannafi state in which the 'Islamisation' of laws

was seen to reflect the 'Islam' of the dominant community. The 1980 'gherao' (siege) of

the government Secretariat in Islamabad by tens of thousands of Shias protesting

against the Zakat and Ushr ordinance was a clear indication of their apprehensions

regarding Zia's 'Islamisation' project.

By the end of Zia's rule the consequences of his policies were fairly obvious. Over the

last decade there has been a major escalation in sectarian tension, the number of

sectarian killings and armed sectarian groups. Among those that have gained

particular prominence are the Sipah-i-Mohammad Pakistan (SMP), which is an off-shoot

of the Tehrik-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria (TNFJ), the main politico-religious Shia party in

Pakistan, later renamed the Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TFP); the Anjuman Sipah-e-

Sahaba, later renamed the Sipah-e-Sahaba-Pakistan (SSP), an off-shoot of the Jamiat-

e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), a leading politico-religious Sunni Deobandi party. A further off-

shoot of the SSP is the even more militant Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan

During the 1980s, Zia-ul-Haq allowed and encouraged the militant Deobandi Islamization of

Pakistan. One of the organizations that arose in this period was the Sipah-e-Sahaba, a

Deobandi-supremacist militant group that considered the Shia Muslim minority to be

'infidels'. The Deobandi militia Sipah-e-Sahaba targeted Shia mosques, community leaders,

as well as Iranian visitors and diplomats. They orchestrated the assassination of Iranian

diplomat Sadiq Ganji in Lahore, Pakistan. They were also involved in the killings of Iranian Air

Force cadets visiting Pakistan in the early 1990s, when sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims in

Pakistan were at their peak. Both acts occurred in the northern city of Rawalpindi and

greatly disturbed contemporary Pakistan-Iran relations.

In response to this, Maulana Mureed Abbas Yazdani is believed to have formed Sipah-e-

Muhammad as a splinter of the larger and more mainstream, Shia political organization,

Tehreek-e-Jaferia Pakistan (Movement of Shias, Pakistan), since that organization was not

encouraging a violent response to the Sipah-e-Sahaba's attacks. Sipah-e-Muhammad's

primarily aim was to target the leaders of the banned Deobandi militia Sipah-e-Sahaba or

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. However, with the subsequent rise in the violence against Shia Muslims, it

was thought to be reforming .The movement was strong in various Shia communities in

Pakistan, and in the majority Shia town of Thokar Niaz Baig ran a "virtual state within a state"

in the 1990s.

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Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan

It was formerly known as Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria. Arif Hussain Hussaini, a student

of Ruhollah Khomeini who led the Iranian Revolution, was the group's leader. It is the

second group that split off from Shia leader Agha Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi's T.N.F.J,

Agha Moosavi led the group after the death of Mufti Jafar Hussain. In December 1983,

a delegation led by Sajid Naqvi, a renowned religious figure, requested Agha Moosavi

to accept leadership of Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria, and finally a large gathering

comprising hundreds of thousands of Pakistani Shia Muslims held at Dina, Pakistan on

February 9, 1984 and endorsed the leadership of Agha Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi. He got

the title of Leader of the Twelver community. Meanwhile, Arif Hussain Hussaini split the

T.N.F.J and become the head of second group and continues to function under the old

name of T.N.F.J. Later, Arif Hussain Hussaini changed the name of T.N.F.J to Tehrik-e-

Jafaria (T.J.P). The T.J.P founder, Arif Hussain Hussaini was assassinated in 1988 by

unknown attackers. However, the defunct sectarian group Sipah-e-Sahaba was

accused.

Following the death of Zia-ul-Haq, support for the T.J.P fell, as Pakistani Shias went back

to pre-Zia-ul-Haq political loyalties, with many no longer feeling under threat.

Furthermore, the elections of moderate Benazir Bhutto also gave increased confidence

to Shia Muslim and they were no longer under threat and the discrimination ended.

On January 12, 2002, the T.J.P was banned along with three other terrorist organizations,

banned by the government of Pakistan. The T.J.P was banned two times during

President Pervez Musharraf's government.

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan

Sipah-e-Sahaba is an Islamic organization which was established on September 06,

1985 in Jhang, Pakistan. Sipah-e-Sahaba is seeking legislation for Companions and

Wives of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), so that no non-muslim could abuse Sahaba

(Radhiyallahu Anhum). On the eve of Iranian resolution, shia organization, Tehreek-e-

Jafaria was formed on April 12, 1978 in Bhakkar, Punjab Pakistan. And after the Irani

resolution in 1979, Khomeni and Shias showed their real face and start abusing

Companions of the noble Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Tehreek-e-Jafaria and Tehreek-

e-Nafaz-e-Fiqa Jafaria, funded by Iran, started gathering shias from all over Pakistan

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and established terrorist camps. Main terrorist camps were established in Parachanar,

Gilgit and Miawali.

Pakistani government was ignorant to that situation. Iran funded shia organization, on

July 4, 1980, surrounded parliament house of Pakistan in Islamabad, and shias were

given exemption from the collection of Zakat. In addition to this, shias spread many

books in different languages in which they abused companions of the noble Prophet

Muhammad (PBUH).

The reaction of the above situation was the establishment of Sipah-e-Sahaba by

Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi Shaheed on September 6, 1985 in Jhang, Punjab

Pakistan. Trained shia terrorists, in pursuing their evil religion started terrorism in Pakistan

and assassinated Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi Shaheed on February 22, 1990.But that

was only the beginning of terrorism against Sipah-e-Sahaba.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) is one of Pakistan's most violent Sunni Muslim militant groups.

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), a Sunni-Deobandi terrorist outfit was formed in 1996 by a

breakaway group of radical sectarian extremists of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP),

a Sunni extremist outfit, which accused the parent organisation of deviating from the

ideals of its slain co- founder, Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi. It is from Maulana Jhangvi

that the LeJ derives its name. It was formed under the leadership of Akram Lahori and

Riaz Basra. The LeJ is one of the two sectarian terrorist outfits proscribed on August 14,

2001, by President Pervez Musharraf. The LeJ aims to transform Pakistan into a Sunni

state, primarily through violent means. The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is part of the broader

Deoband movement.

More than 70 doctors and 34 lawyers, various Ulema (religious scholars), teachers and

students of seminaries, politico-religious parties’ leaders and activists, officials of various

government and private institutions have been assassinated between June 2000 and

June 2002 in Pakistan by the SSP and the LeJ. The LeJ has also carried out numerous

attacks against Iranian interests and Iranian nationals in Pakistan. The outfit uses terror

tactics with the aim of forcing the Pakistani State into accepting its narrow

interpretations of Sunni sectarian doctrines as official doctrines.

In 1999, the LeJ, in a press release, offered a reward of 135 million Pakistani rupees for

anyone who would undertake the killing of Nawaz Shareef, the then Prime Minister;

Shabaz Shareef, his younger brother and the then Chief Minister of Punjab, and

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Mushahid Hussain, the then Information Minister. An attempt was, indeed, made on the

life of Nawaz Shareef when a bomb exploded and destroyed a bridge between Lahore

and Raiwind, barely an hour before he was to pass by on January 2, 1999.

According to senior investigators, the Al Qaeda network is suspected to have worked

with LeJ cadres to plan both the car-bomb attacks. Intelligence sources have

indicated that certain LeJ terrorists arrested in Karachi in June 2002 have been

allegedly working with the Al Qaeda to strike at targets in Pakistan.

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), famously known as Pakistani Taliban, is the deadliest

among all indigenous militant outfits. The inceptions leading to the formation of TTP

went back to the days of NATO operations in Afghanistan after 9/11. After the

American intervention in Afghanistan, a section of radicals started a movement inside

Pakistan to support the Taliban. They remained just sympathiser till Lal Masjid (Red

Mosque) incident happened in July 2007. In December 2007 the existence of the TTP

was officially announced under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud. 13 groups united

under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud to form the TTP in an undisclosed place in

South Waziristan Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The sole

objective of the Shura meeting was to unite the small militant fractions under the

leadership of TTP against NATO forces in Afghanistan and to wage a defensive jihad

against Pakistani forces.

Lashkar-e-Omar

Lashkar-e-Omar (LeO) is a new terrorist group reportedly founded in January 2002 and is

a conglomerate of Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HuJI), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Jaish-e-

Mohammed (JeM) cadres. It was formed after the arrests of several front-ranking

Islamist leaders in Pakistan following President Pervez Musharraf’s address to the nation

on January 12, 2002, in which he committed himself to dismantling the structures and

networks of terrorism based in his country. The etymology of Lashkar-e-Omar is yet not

clear. According to some reports, it is named after Mullah Mohammed Omar, chief of

the Taliban militia. Other reports have indicated that the name is allegedly a direct

homage to Syed Ahmed Omar Sheikh, a front-ranking JeM terrorist who was, on July 15,

2002, sentenced to life by an Anti-Terrorism Court in Hyderabad, Sindh, for his role in the

abduction-cum-murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl.

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The LeO first came into prominence in November 2001 when it reportedly claimed

responsibility for an attack on a church in Bahawalpur in Punjab. A police personnel

and 17 Christians, including five children, were killed and nine others injured when six

unidentified gunmen opened indiscriminate fire at a church in Model Town,

Bahawalpur, on October 28, 2001.

Statistical report of Sectarian Violence

From 1989 till today up to 3000 incidents of ethno-sectarian violence have occurred in

which thousands of people have lost their lives.

According to Pak Institute for Peace Studies’ (PIPS) Pakistan Security Report 2012 the

overall incidents of sectarian violence, including sectarian-related terrorist attacks and

clashes, increased significantly, by about 53 percent, in 2012 as compared to 2011.

More than 85 percent of such attacks and clashes and 68 percent of the people killed

in these incidents were concentrated in four cities/regions of Karachi, Quetta, Gilgit

and Kurram Agency.

According to the ‘Pakistan Security Report 2013’ launched by Pak Institute for Peace

Studies (Pips), the rise in sectarian violence started in 2011 and continued through the

subsequent years.

The report maintained that there had been 208 incidents of sectarian-related terrorist

attacks in the country in which 658 people were killed and 1,195 injured.Furthermore,

the number of suicide attacks across the country also rose by 39 per cent as 46 suicide

attacks were reported in 2013 compared to 33 in 2012.Of these, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa

(KP) witnessed 18 suicide attacks in 2013 while 12 attacks occurred in the Federally

Administered Tribal Areas. Furthermore, nine suicide attacks occurred in Balochistan,

five in Sindh and one each in Rawalpindi and Azad Kashmir.The report claimed that

nine suicide attacks in 2013 were related to sectarian clashes and were mainly carried

out by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.

One of the suicide blasts was carried out by nationalist insurgents and another two

attacks were carried out during inter-militant clashes.

The security report has also endorsed the establishment of the Cabinet Committee on

National Security (CCNS), and has recommended expansion of its role. It stated that

the committee’s role should be shifted from that of a consultative decision-making

body to implementing the National Security Initiatives (NSIs).

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The data compiled by South Asian Terrorism Portal reveals that in the current year

alone, approximately 150 civilians, mostly Shias, have died in sectarian violence in

Pakistan. In comparison only 23 violent deaths were recorded in the Indian controlled

Kashmir in 2012.

Even with a six-time larger demographic footprint, 62 civilians reportedly died in terrorist

violence in India in 2012, whereas 734 civilians became victims of terrorist violence in

Pakistan during the same time period.

The attack on Data Darbar, the mausoleum of Lahore’s patron saint, in July 2010 left

almost 50 moderate Sunni Muslims dead.

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Sectarian Violence Report

Sectarian Violence in Pakistan: 1989-2014

Year Incidents Killed Injured

1989 67 18 102

1990 274 32 328

1991 180 47 263

1992 135 58 261

1993 90 39 247

1994 162 73 326

1995 88 59 189

1996 80 86 168

1997 103 193 219

1998 188 157 231

1999 103 86 189

2000 109 149 NA

2001 154 261 495

2002 63 121 257

2003 22 102 103

2004 19 187 619

2005 62 160 354

2006 38 201 349

2007 341 441 630

2008 97 306 505

2009 106 190 398

2010 57 509 1170

2011 30 203 297

2012 173 507 577

2013 128 525 914

2014 51 140 198

Total* 2920 4850 9389 *Data till June 22, 2014

Source: Constructed from media reports

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LEGISLATIONS TO

OVERCOME SECTARIANISM

IN PAKISTAN

Threats of sectarianism can be reduced by making policies. Minorities should be given

equal rights. There should be seats for them in assembly so that sense of difference not

develop in them. Unity is best defense which can be achieved by abolishing

sectarianism.

Federal Shariat Court

In 1980 the Federal Shari ‘at Court (FSC) of Pakistan is a court which has the power to

examine and determine whether the laws of the country comply with Shari ‘a law.

Appeal against its decisions lie to the Shari at Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court,

consisting of 3 Muslim judges of the Supreme Court and 2 Ulema, appointed by the

President. If any part of the law is declared to be against Islamic law, the government is

required to take necessary steps to amend such law appropriately.

Blasphemy law

The Pakistan Penal Code prohibits blasphemy against any recognised religion,

providing penalties ranging from a fine to death. An accusation of blasphemy

commonly subjects the accused, police, lawyers, and judges to harassment, threats,

and attacks. An accusation is sometimes the prelude to vigilantism and rioting. Calls

for change in the blasphemy laws have been strongly resisted by Islamic parties. The

first purpose of those laws is to protect Islamic authority. By the constitution (Article

2), Islam is the state religion. By the constitution's Article 31, it is the country's duty to

foster the Islamic way of life. By Article 33, it is the country's duty to discourage

parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian, and provincial prejudices among the citizens

Section 260(3) of Pakistan’s constitution defines whom the law considers a Muslim.

This is exceedingly important because the constitution restricts certain government

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offices to Muslims. For example, Section 41(2) requires that the President be “a

Muslim of not less than forty-five years of age ‘’

But more than simply disenfranchising some citizens, the sectarian clauses in the

constitution have created second-class citizens of religious minorities, and given

fodder for the hateful rhetoric of extremists that encourages such violence as was

witnessed last Friday. In fact, the massacre of the Ahmadis was not the first time that

a religious minority has suffered violent attack in recent months. Last August, religious

extremists attacked a community of Christians in Gojra, killing many and burning

down several dozen homes. Pakistan’s parliament and President Zardari were quick

to condemn the attacks in Gojra and provide funding to compensate victims, but

until the government purges the aberrant laws that extremists use to justify.

Under the Pakistan Penal Code in 2006, the government banned 16 books 12

weekly magazines, 9 monthlies and one daily newspaper to discourage the

circulation of hate material. In 2005, the government had already banned about

133 publications. The amount of money spent by extremist organisations to

produce offensive literature still runs into millions of rupees every month.

Inevitably, the literature targets Shias, Ahmadis and Christians, and is freely

available in the areas of operation of sectarian and ‘jihadi’ organisations.

These attacks, future violence is all but inevitable. Cornell doctoral student Basit

Riaz Sheikh, agrees. Writing for English- language daily, Express Tribune, Sheikh

notes that the sectarian tensions that increasingly flare up today are rooted in

the regime of dictator Zia-ul-Haq. Article 33 of Pakistan’s constitution requires the

state to “discourage parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian and provincial prejudices

among the citizens.” This vital mission of the government cannot be achieved

while sectarian prejudice is codified in the nation’s laws. In order to protect the

rights and the safety of all citizens, Pakistan’s Parliament should immediately

move to amend the constitution by removing Section 260(3) and other sectarian

laws.

The defunct Sipahe-e-Sahaba Pakistan (now operating under the name of Ahle

Sunnat wal-Jammat Pakistan) used to distribute more than a dozen pamphlets

and booklets in which so-called ‘objectionable material’ from Shia history books

was reproduced, and readers were urged to get rid of these ‘blasphemers.’ It is

disappointing to note that this hate literature is popular amongst various

government offices and as recently as 2005 was openly found on the tables of

government officials. In the face of such official apathy, and in some cases,

complicity, it is no wonder that accusations of blasphemy were frequent in the

Punjab, which is home to most sectarian outfit.

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CAUSES OF SECTARIANISM

IN PAKISTAN

"Who" is behind the sectarian violence is not as important as "what" is behind it. Throw in

a heap load of "ignorance", a handful of "bigotry", a touch of "intolerance" and mix it with

"a political agenda" and you have a lethal concoction which can only result in hate and

violence. It is only by eradicating, or at least controlling these factors that peace will be

restored. However some of these factors are discussed below:

1. Intolerance: Pakistan is probably the only country where hate and intolerance can be are openly

professed in public. An important cause of conflict is the divided society in the

educational system. All the often, both public school and private Madrassas promotes

intolerance n Extremism. These attitude have encouraged increasing violence which

threatens to consume the entire country with deadly effect.

2. Disunity:

Our dishonest n corrupt politicians who exploit innocent people to divide n rule.

Politician divide people unity Sindhi, Punjabi, Baluchi, and Pashtun etc. This ethnic

sectarianism increased day by day that’s Punjabis don’t like Sindhis .even Sunni don’t

like Shia s etc. these all are the example of sectarianism in Pakistan.

3. Fight Due To Religion: The origin of sectarianism violence in Pakistan can be traced back to war against the

soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Large number of Islamic group and madrassa

popped up inside Pakistan. The Shia n Sunni violence is a notable and a very important

features in Pakistan. Religion extremism is a reactionary attitude resulting from

socioeconomic, political n religion causes.

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4. Unsatisfied Judgment System:

We believe that judiciary system of Pakistan is also responsible who failed to uphold

these criminals and at certain occasions they made unjustified decisions to make there

groups and rulers happy. These sort of terrorism could be stopped by following the

teachings of Islam and by treating all the citizen equally.

5. Lack of Trust on Government: In our country the government is not so efficient that the people could trust it.

Government just use people for their own motives and the leader of different sectors in

our country just have concern with their issues. No politics have been made to resolve

the social issues which are destroying our country.

6. Politicization: Another factor sustaining the sectarian intolerance is its politicisation. Sectarian parties

have entered the arena of politics; clerics contest elections on sectarian, rather than

Islamic basis. Sectarian intolerance is now the springboard for political dividend. Even

mainstream political parties like to have electoral adjustment with sectarian clerics-

turned politicians.

The conflict between sectarian groups is not merely ideological; often it is impelled by

the desire to obtain political power. Undue patronage of the clergy by various

governments has steadily raised their public profile and influence, culminating in a

larger than life political clout of sectarian parties.

7. Orthodoxy in the Religious Scholarship: Another cause is dominance of orthodoxy in the religious scholarship and their

acceptance as an authority on religion. While orthodoxy holds the sway; mainstream

clergy stands marginalized. Peripheral theological debates provide the basis for volatile

divisions. As a result, healthy academic discourse has been replaced by militancy.

8. Quota system: Quota system in getting jobs and admissions in various institutions prevents the deserving to

get the merit, denies admission to deserving students, and disqualifies a deserving job

seeker because of his race and language.

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9. The Madrassas Various madrassas, especially in Punjab and Karachi, accentuated existing sectarian

cleavage. Each Sunni schism (Deobandi, Brehlvi, Wahabi) and Shias ran their own

madrassas for providing basic education. The curriculum was decided by the madaris.

As a result, when sectarian fault lines got pronounced, a hate campaign was

introduced vis-a-vis the other sect. Besides, the madrassas also provided manpower for

these sectarian organizations, leading to sectarian engagements on the streets and

dividing them further. The communities started defending their faith by protecting and

supporting the offenders instead of condemning their violence. This support took the

form of political, personal and financial patronage, which only accentuated the cycle

of violence.

10. Foreign Support The friendly Muslim countries are also involved in promoting and strengthening of

sectarian organizations in the country in general. Iran is backing Shia organizations and

Arab states are financing Sunni and Deobandi sectarian groups to further their own

interests. The Western countries are also providing funds to moderate religious groups as

part of their strategy to hit Islamic Ideology in Pakistan. These foreign interventions are

major agents of sectarianism in the country, which are eventually harming the cause of

national integration.

Illiteracy If one considers illiteracy and content of education as a driver of conflict and

extremism, then the situation for Pakistan seems bleak. In Pakistan, 45 per cent primary

school children drop out of school and a World Bank report asserts that nearly half the

adult population of Pakistan can't read, with net primary enrollment rates the lowest in

South Asia. According to the Economic Survey of 2009 -10, 42 per cent of the

population has no formal education, only 4 per cent has degree level education, while

many having degrees without attending any university. Between the two extremes, 38

per cent of the population is below matriculation level, with 11 per cent having

education up to matriculation and only 5 per cent up to higher secondary level.

Therefore, Pakistan's poor education system, which in turn limits economic opportunities,

makes young generation targets of militant groups.

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RECOMENDATIONS TO

OVERCOME SECTARIANISM

Limitations on religious festivals: If you want do any particular religious act, like celebrating eid-milad un-nabi, better to

arrange it inside mosque. Whatever you wana do, but do it inside any boundary, Not

on roads, Sometime we use these processions not for holy purpose but for showing our

strength in city or to tease rival group or sect. Processions always creats issue of law &

order in country , easy to be targeted by terrorists , usually halt all public services , other

sect people who do not want to participate on that religious day have to suffer the

closure of all shops , petrol pumps , hospitals , schools , offices , just for nothing.

Stop Foreign & private Funding: Govt. should ask brother Islamic countries to stop private fundings to their affiliated

sects. Of course we all know that Saudis back Salafi & Deoband school of thought in

Pakistan and provide money directly & indirectly to their madrassas.

Similarly Khana Farhang Iran has always been interested to spread Iranian revolutionary

thoughts within Pakistan by funding Shiites.

Govt. of Pakistan should cut off all direct aid from these countries. They can give aid,

but through govt. of Pakistan.

Promoting Education: There is no solution without education that is why even Allah had to send his books and

his prophets. However the prophets have shown that communities can be turned

around very successfully within a decade or so. This is because prophets were lonely

people to start with and they had such heavy opposition to get through. Our task I think

is nothing like that it is very easy. It is because we have a lot of educated people in our

world and there are many concerned people who are really willing to help other. It is

just matter of learning things that could help our communities and teaching them to

each other in an organized way.

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Encourage Nationalism: We should encourage nationalism to reduce the effects of sectarianism .We must

support Pakistan in every condition against Saudi Arabia OR Iran, We must be Pakistani

first and then anything. And we must be very blunt and brave in our support, if I’m Shia

but I see Iran is hurting my Sunni Pakistani brothers in Baluchistan, I must condemn it.

Role of Media: Media should play their role in helping our society to get out of the effects of this

monster, more such programs should be telecasted where ulamas from different sects

should come and discuss common issues. Media must also play its role by emphasizing

harmony among these sects.

Neutral State Apparatus: State apparatus should be neutral and must not side with any sectarian party. The

government machinery must work effectively to suppress extremist elements within the

society.

Provision of Jobs & Education: Provision of jobs, education and economic and social facilities for deprived class to

prevent them from becoming extremists.

Zero Tolerance for Violent Sectarian Groups: There should be zero tolerance for violent sectarian groups and their leaders. ‘Political

advantages’ should not bar political leadership from taking a principled position

against those who are challenging the writ of the state.

Eradicating Sectarianism at individual level: At individual level, citizens must have awareness about sects and the need for

tolerance and respect for all sects. As Pakistani, we must realize our responsibilities and

indicate the moles present in our society.

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CONCLUSION

Sectarianism is a curse to our society. Every individual should play its vital role to

eradicate this social evil from our society. The government must act in a prudent

manner to bring sectarian parties at one page by addressing their concerns. Both

internal and external factors promote sectarian violence and likely future scenarios be

analyzed before formulation of counter sectarianism policies. In short, for long lasting

peace and harmony in Pakistan, short term anti-sectarianism plans will not work. A long

term counter sectarianism strategy be implemented for an effective remedy of the

sectarian issue.

The U.S., Western Europe, Japan and Arab countries have spent millions of dollars in

spreading a jihadi mindset that now plagues Pakistani society; now it is also the

responsibility of international community to help Pakistan in removing this problem.

Therefore, it should provide help not just in the form of loans, grants and financial

assistance, but also in building and investing in economic zones in areas that have

been rehabilitated.

Finally, what is needed most is the faith and unity among sects. One must think in terms

of being a Pakistani rather than being called Shia or Sunni. Therefore it is considered

that through aforementioned preventive and corrective measures and implementing

given recommendations the sectarian violence can be tamed.

Sectarianism in Pakistan

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