![the writer is an independent social scientist and author of military inc the writer is an independent social scientist and author of military inc](https://i.tribune.com.pk/media/images/587868-AyeshaSiddiqaNews-1375893045/587868-AyeshaSiddiqaNews-1375893045.jpg)
Following are the reasons which establish that the menace of terrorism will not be addressed with the above perspective in mind.
First, such an explanation doesn’t help in taking into account the manner in which sources of terrorism have expanded in the country. The foreign intervention next door may be a driver of terrorism in the tribal areas and the Pashtun-belt in general, but this framework certainly does not explain what is happening in the rest of Pakistan.
Second, an overemphasis on America’s involvement in creating jihadis in South Asia, not taking cognisance of the past or present links of the military with militant organisations, does not help in understanding the penetration of these outfits within the security and law-enforcement establishments, and the government in general. There is no doubt that militancy, as a menace, dates back to the 1980s when the Zia regime willingly allowed radicalisation of society in order to fight the American war against the Soviet troops. However, we cannot deny the fact that our security establishment held on to these jihadis, which were used on other fronts.
Third, such a connection has compelled the military and state in general to turn a blind eye to sectarian violence, which is considered as an unpleasant consequence of the jihadi agenda that is tolerated because of the efficacy of the jihadis in countering the external threat or the internal threat in the form of Baloch and Sindhi nationalism. These groups create political and diplomatic space for the state. Their services will be critical after the foreign troops withdraw from Afghanistan in 2014.
Fourth, the problem with the Afghanistan-centric narrative is that it is limited to dealing with criminal-cum-ideological gangs like Hakimullah Mehsud’s TTP but not with much larger problems in the form of Punjab-based militant networks. The popular narrative constructed and spread is that every terrorist activity, taking place in Punjab, is controlled from North Waziristan, which tends to take attention away from the expansionist designs and the rabid ideology of the Salafi and Deobandi groups ensconced in the largest province. This is also an excuse to focus on North Waziristan because the level of violence in the rest of the country, especially Punjab and Sindh, is not proportional to the jihadi presence there. The Punjab model of jihadism and extremism is different from that of Fata as these groups carefully engage society to avoid attracting attention. This makes it look like as if the problem has come from somewhere else. But if we begin to look at their literature, we will be able to see that they are much more expansionist and cunning in their tactics than those in the tribal areas, who are exposed due to their violence.
In fact, violence as a measure of extremism is problematic as it fails to capture the extent of radicalisation of the society. Violence can be described as the tip of the iceberg of radicalism that is difficult to measure, especially when people continue to confuse radicalism with conservatism, which, in turn, is owned as part of the local culture. Sectarian violence is one of the examples of how the culture argument is used to downplay this crime. Surely, there were always sectarian differences but not the kind of violence that we see today. Therefore, any problem-solving will have to, on the parallel, deal with countering radicalism. This is, indeed, an issue that is gently broached in the Nacta draft policy. However, this is also a Herculean task, which no one has a clue about how to undertake this at the moment.
Fifth, due to our limited analysis, we are unable to see that the jihadi leadership of the Salafi and Deobandi groups is middle class and thus much more capable of expanding their message and membership. The militant outfits in Punjab and Sindh do not just operate as groups but as a network, which has means to penetrate the society through welfare outfits and madrassas, and also influence policies through political partnerships. For instance, the JUI-F is a formidable umbrella for the expansion of militancy in Sindh. The Deobandi Tableeghi Jamaat must also be reviewed in the role it has played in expanding a particular mindset and ideology. In one particular case of an attack on the Ahmadi community in Lahore, the attackers allegedly stayed at the Tableeghi Jamaat’s centre.
We also fail to see the growing trends of radicalism and radical movements in non-Pashtun Pakistan that takes various shapes and forms. For instance, while the various Deobandi and Salafi networks infiltrate society selectively at the levels of the lower and middle class in general, there are other forms like the Hizbut Tehrir (HuT), which do not necessarily encourage violence but have managed to penetrate the upper-middle class and succeeded in convincing its members to support the establishment of a khilafa and a sharia-based system in the country. This is easier said than done, especially when there are ideological differences within the religious discourse. The risk is that the khilafa formula will create more chaos and violence. More important, all these groups with differing agendas converge at the same point.
This is not to undermine the argument that there may be foreign intervention. However, how can the state tell the difference between local versus foreign-sponsored if it allows jihadism, be it friendly or unfriendly? No security establishment has a master switch with which it can ensure that those who join the friendly militants will not become unfriendly tomorrow.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 8th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (39)
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@AlGhazali: You are delusional. Please emigrate to Afghanistan and Saudi Arabia if you are not at home here.
@kaalchakra: Your statement 'Islam protects non-Muslims and takes care of all their needs by offering them justice, security and freedom' should be examined in light of following data from Wiki sites. In 1951 Pakistan had 22 % Hindus. In 1988 it reduced to 1.9% in Pakistan & 9% in Bangladesh. This happened due to forcible conversions & immigration to India. On the other hand, percentage of Muslims in India has increased from 9% in 1951 to 14% in 2010. This is due to higher birth rate and illegal immigration of Bangladeshi Muslims to India for livelihood.
Your statement 'Muslims who are responsible for fixing all the problems ..' means - Non Muslims cannot not be given any positions of responsibility. Such interpretation of Islam hurts Muslims more than non Muslims. Not all Muslims agree but most of them keep silent.
Stop blaming saudis n salafis, they have helped u again n again like true brothers...
It is about time the discourse on Khilafah is discussed publicly and the proponents of it given a fair chance to express their views.
ThinkingIndian, nobody ever said that. Islam protects nonMuslims and takes care of all their needs by offering them justice, security and freedom to pursue whatever commercial profession they want. This is a very privileged position compared to that of Muslims who are responsible for fixing all the problems of the society and meeting its internal and external challenges.
@kaalchakra: ''constructing just and right societies in which Muslims live'' ? Only Muslims live, no place for non-Muslims?
sabi, everyone wants peace with justice. It will come, since Islam is a religion of peace. But it wont come by our reciting half truths. Islam is as much about creating individual perfection of humans as about constructing just and right societies in which Muslims live. It is most certainly not about closing one's eyes and praying to one's god inside the four walls of one's home.
@Agnostic:
This nightmare is a reality and it is others who are still sleeping, like we did on the OBL raid. She hasn't exaggerated and is indeed correct to point out settled areas' indigenous and foreign extremists. Many of the TTP aren't just ranks drawn out from the Afghan Taliban, but from LeJ as well, a group formed out of South Punjab, which also has permanent expansions in Quetta and Karachi, who've committed numerous bombings and massacres. Not all militants and extremist terrorists have to travel back and forth from Waziristan. LeT's base of operations are at a different location, geared towards Kashmir and India, and their operatives roam around Islamabad or Lahore, Haqqanis are untouched by Pak (except a few drones outside Waziristan) in Kurram. Neither of these places are North Waziristan, and all of these groups have contacts with one another and freely organize themselves in the rest of the country.
Sectarian terrorism is still an act of terrorism right up there, and has always been a menace. Its such attitudes that has made us overlook the rising radicalization on all kinds of extremisms all these decades, as they share the same indicators and trends with each other, and its time to stop being selective on extremists.
Ayesha Siddiqa, the author of The Military Inc. is a fearless writer. May Allah bless her with health happiness and long life.
Clarity of thought on the part of policy makers is a sine quo non of a carefully planned anti-terrorism policy. It is true that for one reason or the other government is ignoring Salafi and Deobandi groups who are responsible for sectarian violence that has caused endless death and destruction and these groups are closely linked with TTP.
I must add to what AS said: Saudi Petro-dollars are lifeline of these groups. Govt should do needful to stop all such remittances through more vigilance and through paying more attention to implementation of anti-money laundering laws. Anybody found violating relevant forex and anti-money laundering laws should be treated as an actor in the on-going terrorism in the country and given severe punishment.
@SMA:
Her observations are spot on and she's not generalizing. She's been nuanced and specific and its time that the majority Pakistanis realize this and rectify this growing radicalization from such ideologies. She's not calling the majority of population as terrorists, however, she is highlighting that the majority of the population has rationalized extremism in one form or another. This is quite evident on the way the state is confused on how to tackle terrorists and its own selective support for known extremist militant groups (LeT, Haqqanis, Quetta Shura, etc). Another clear example was the reaction of the Pak people after the Taseer assassination by Qadri, which exposed the old 'its only a few extremists' denial of the stereotype as questionable.
@AlGhazali:
An example of the privileged ideological delusion held by Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Sunni Islamists. They've got nothing intelligent to add so they ignorantly spout they are on the 'right and true path', above any criticism, believing such self-centered narcissist statement makes them immune from other Muslims and non-Muslim they prejudicially deride, by roll calling them out together. Ironically not different from terrorist extremists, who share the same intolerant hate for these groups.
As I see, a lot of Pakistanis understand the problem but appear helpless. A few like AlGhazali continue in the denial mode. Religious fanaticism is threat to the world, particularly our subcontinent. Islamic fanaticism encourages Hindu Fanaticism & vice verse. Let us fight this menace together.
Fountainhead of terrorism still remains the 'two nation" theory. Rest assured Pakistan is doomed with terrorism.
@Unbelievable So u think Russian came to Afghanistan to make love story Bollywood movie please open your eyes and except the fact that Red army terrorism like any other empire greed to occupy and change the place against the will of that land native peoples the way of living and if Pakistan had to do what it did I think Gen Zia and Gen Akhter Abdul Rehman both were heros of Pakistan may god bless them.
Another Pakistani myth - author and others ignore the writings of the Pakistani leaders who made the decision to help Afghanistan. Soviets invaded Afghanistan as step on their long march to a warm water port (located in Balochistan) - something obviously a concern to Pakistan. Pakistani leaders were also intimidated by having India on one border and the Soviets (India ally) on the other border. The American's on the other hand didn't care on bit about Afghanistan but wouldn't mind giving the Soviets a taste of their own medicine (ie Vietnam) by providing Afghan's with weapons. Pakistani's now try and re-write history and make the Afghan/Soviet conflict an American war which you were forced to provide assistance - pure rubbish.
what a amazing mixture of hindu,qadianis,shias,seculars one can see against right and true muslims.
@Umar: Add Qatar in your list of countries too Qatar is supporting Islamic brotherhood in Egypt, Rebels in Syria, Libya, Mali and was willing to host an office for TTP.
@Arifq: I agree with you in all points except the population part. I am hearing 180 million Pakistanis for the last 3 years.I watch geo on thenet and i get 180 million pakistanis. Are my Pakistani brothers all turned into saints. Pakistan is 200 million and increasing by the days. I find 180 million Pakistanis hilarious now a days. Do a census paaji....rab rakha
The problem is not as simple as it seems, and the solution is no silver bullet either. But the biggest issue is the "will" and the "capability" of the government to pursue a strategy that could overcome the menace of terrorism. The even bigger challenge now is that as a result of the security apparatus collapse in Pakistan, the country is fast heading towards physical disintegration. Both the Pakistani people and army are stretched to the limit and seem to be buckling under the enormous pressure of terrorist attacks.
The author has hit the nail on the head. The TTP and other Qaeda affiliates are part of the global Salafi militant network. The real goal of the TTP and its Salafi masters in Saudi is to carve out a Salafi state in Pakistan. Time is running out. Our government needs to take action both against our local salafi militants and their benefactors in Saudi.
The author had a bad dream. The article exaggerates the threat in the "settled areas" of Punjab and Sindh. She has not substantiated her argument with statistics. N Waziristan is the big problem as it has claimed a state within a state and gives sanctuary to all other outfits. Vigilance against sectarian tanzeemat is needed but let's not get distracted from the real menace at hand.
This article is great, but I think it stops at addressing the core ideological aspects.
This article is Pakistan specific, but surely Pakistan is not the only Muslim majority country or society to manufacture Radicals who believe in the Islamic cause. Simply attributing it to Zia's policies will not explain why there are Islamist elements in other parts of the Muslim world, even in non-Muslim majority societies. Zia was a kid in 1946 when the Muslim League called for Direct Action day against the Hindus of Calcutta. Surely, the roots of Islamism in Pakistan run deeper than Zia's policies!
India(Indian Mujahideen), Britain(7/7 bombers), Indonesia(Bali bombers), Spain(Madrid Bombings), Somalia, Ethiopia, Nigeria, Bangladesh, USA(David Headley aka Dawood Gilani, The shoe bomber, the underwear bomber).
All the above are instances where Islamist violence have occurred, from the top of my head, in both Muslim majority and minority countries.
So, ignoring all these and devising policies specific to Pakistan might not work out that great in the long term.
I'm sure the person of the intellect of Ms. Siddiqa knows this. But, to say the core ideology of the Muslim world is at fault runs the risk of being labelled anti-Islam and losing credibility among the liberal folk and general populace. Because for an Intellectual to be taken seriously he/she has to be Politically Correct, even if that means turning your back against the truth, made obvious from observing general trends.
A good analysis on the terrorism. If we dig out this problem, we find, our national and strategic policies have been religious centred. We could not develop our people as a nation. Our policies, always nuture religion, completely ignoring the minorities and their national sentiments. As the saying goes, " As you saw, so shall you reap" so, whole nation is going through the civil war because of ill concieved policies of Gen. Zia and others. Madarsaas, religious groups have once again been on mushroom growth. So, think what crop we are going to cut in near future, wouldn't it be more sore than the one we are tasting these days?
How can terrorism be defeated if the analysis is wrong, based on it inference drawn will also be faulty. It is the orientation of the State and the ideology which breeds terrorism. As the percentage of minorities kept falling would it not be obvious that it was caused by falling tolerance levels and incapability of the State to foresee the dangers of its policies. The State has legislated itself into a corner by empowering those with a very narrow and dangerous mindset. The State also created non State actors who while occasionally doing the States dirty work, also crippled its functioning by pursuing their own agenda domestically. In a radicalized State violence and terrorism cannot be defeated by cosmetic measures adopted therefore multiple security failures on all fronts. If the militant groups did not have powerful backers within the Government terrorism would have been vanquished long ago. Without addressing this issue and weeding out sympathizers all policies are destined to fail. When Government plans are leaked in advance anti terror operation has to fail. Lastly, the public is well aware that the Terrorists have strong backers so they are not coming forward to help the security apparatus, unsure who is backing which side. Maybe the Government believes that confusion suits its interests, what is clear is that it ensures that the life of the citizen will remain insecure.
I really appreciate the author's honesty and critical thinking analysis and ability to articulate it. Just the way she dissects the subtle differences across regions, including even ethnic dimensions as well as values (the blurring of conservatism and radicalism), in the third and fourth points about our society's narrative and state actions (unfortunate how such intolerance and cruelty has been rationalized for insane self-serving regional goals) on extremism and sectarianism are brilliant.
It really is a very difficult task in speaking out about it, when such hardened religio-political and sectarian beliefs have been absorbed culturally across classes in Pak, but she objectively observes and puts a finger and label on the ideologies and trends in Pak, which needs to be done, rather than simply talking in generalizations. We should understand these far right-wing religious nationalist views, usually steeped in Wahhabi/Salafi/Deoband/Ahle-Hadees/Sunni Islamist ideologies and old ethnic prejudices, need to be continuously identified and countered so that some reason can prevail over the brainwashed propaganda.
Its a great continuation from her June 7th piece.
http://tribune.com.pk/story/565523/fighting-terrorism/
@G The Soviet invasion WAS “America’s war” you fought. Get YOUR facts straight.
I don't get it... Why do writers use difficult words like "narrative" when "story" means exactly the same thing and is understood by a larger audience?
Is it intellectual? Cool?
ETBLOGS1987
@G: "The Soviet invasion was not “America’s war” we fought. Get your facts straight."
Soviets invaded Afghanistan not Pakistan. Pakistan getting involved only for free arms from US and money from Saudis. That was definitely not Pakistan's war and unlike in 2001, there were no 'if you are not with us, you are against us' threats given to Pakistan to be part of that war.. In order to motivate Pakistanis to fight in that war, Zia pushed the idea of Muslim first instead of Pakistani first. DO check with your fellow brother Muslims in KSA, Kuwait, UAE if they also believe in the Muslim first concept and let you in just because you are Muslim or do they see you as Pakistanis and treat you as they would a person with Pakistani passport.
The purpose of pushing this Muslim first line was because that is the only way ordinary Pakistanis could have been persuaded to go and put their lives at risk in that war which had nothing to do with Pakistan is by telling them that they were Muslims first and this was a war to save Islam. IT is the same story that was continued to keep the flow of jihadis going towards India after the SOviet-Afghan war was over.
So you see, the author is actually right about that statement..
@sabi: "People need truth not half truth.Religion is between God and man not between God and state.If we don’t learn it we should forget any peace"
Bravo!!! Couldn't agree more.
Pakistan will not be able to arrest it's downward spiral unless it eradicates terrorism and it cannot eradicate terrorism unless it eradicates its general terrorist mindset which comes from the education you receive in your madrases and schools. Rgds
Sad that an author that publishes as frequently as Ms. Siddiqa has written in such a careless and generalized manner that it labels as terrorists large segments of the population without the requisite foundation. It appears that in many cases, she stereotypes and forms a highly biased opinion before scientifically considering or presenting any data.
The Soviet invasion was not "America's war" we fought. Get your facts straight.
All these while most of Pakistani’s argument was that the reason for terrorism in Pakistan is Kashmir. But I can’t find any "K" word not only here but also in any impartial analysis. "K" is slowly disappearing from Pakistani minds and politics.
There must be some deeper answers some greater reasons behind decades old intolerance which has been turned into armed rebellion against the state.How one can find reasons and causes of this great mess by bypassing horrible flaws in law of land.This might be a good article but usual rhetoric for both, who suffer and who make people suffer.People need truth not half truth.Religion is between God and man not between God and state.If we don't learn it we should forget any peace.
All madarsa and Mosque should be registered and be required to file annual income tax report. As deep throat said follow the money. This will help in following the trail of money. A parallel can be drawn between economic policies and terrorism. Pakistan always imported every little item and this prevented development of skill force, employment, cottage industry and tax base. Similarly by not dealing with terrorism in good faith it has prevented development of a professional local police force, investigative techniques/Laboratories and local intelligence network. Both economic and anti terrorism policies are short sighted and not based on what is in the best national interest. Pakistani society has destroyed itself due to its anti India policies (terrorism, economic, corridor to other countries, growth of SARC institution etc)and psyche. Removal of anti India psyche and policies will clear up lots of monetary resources to fight terrorism. Otherwise save lots of ink to cover this topic till a fatigue sets in.
@Arifq: @Anas Abbas: A very balanced and to the point Op Ed by ET. In addition I could not agree more with the author and both of you. The three of you have nailed it down pretty good and there is not much I can add except thank you for telling like it is. Hope the rich and powerful establishment is listening! Best regards, and keep up the good work. M
You have amazing clarity on terrorism.
Great analysis by Ayesha, probable because of space there were some omissions such as the thirty (30) year indoctrination of Pakistani mindset through Saudi Petro-dollars, mushrooming of Deobandi, Ahle Hadith, Wahabi Madressas, state sponsorship of these schools of thought in official positions, media and military operations (Haqqani network, LEJ, Masoof Azhar, Gulbadin Hikmatyar). Then to top it off, we had the misfortune of politicians such as Imran Khan (PTI) and Nawaz Sharif (PMLN) pandering to populist opinion to gain political mileage. With the latest assault on DI Khan, state of Pakistan appears to be paralyzed, unable to respond or defend, just waiting for its final calling! For the sake of 180million people, I pray that I am wrong.
Great Analysis and good that you have identified the DEOBANDI groups. The tragedy is that there is no consensus in Pakistan about who there enemy is despite losing 50,000 lives.