PTI chairman Imran Khan. PHOTO: AFP/FILE
However, the provincial minister for elementary and secondary education at a meeting at the offices of the Peshawar Textbook Board has said this process may soon be reversed. The minister, affiliated with the Pakistan Tehreek-i-Insaf (PTI), has said the ‘religious’ content of curriculums would never be sacrificed. The PTI has faced strong pressure on this count from its ally in the provincial government, the Jamaat-e-Islami (JI), whose ministers attended the meeting. The JI had made fervent efforts to be allotted the education ministry in K-P, with strong protests heard from civil society groups following early indications that the PTI was preparing to do just this.
The PTI chief, Imran Khan, has said that the success of the K-P government was vital to his party. He is, of course, right. But he must consider what success should mean. In a province as troubled as K-P, it must include an end to militancy and the extremist mindset that spurs it on. In the longer term, this can happen only by ensuring that the next generation receives the right message and is able to move away from the hatred and accompanying violence that has engulfed the province. Much of it is perpetrated in the name of religion. In these circumstances, promoting violence in any manner does not appear to be a very wise decision at all and will only lead us into greater darkness and ignorance, hauling us back from the attempts to move towards light.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 20th, 2013.
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COMMENTS (39)
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To every one opposing this. Just one question do you oppose Jihad (If you really know the true meaning of it)?
These people did not publish my COMMENT.....now i know how fake and biased this newspaper is!!!!!!
The undeniable philosophy of Islamic Pakistan is for all (grown-up)-children the daily front, middle and back page of Express Tribune!
It is perhaps the only institution which does not itself invent lies!
Tribune ...dismayed at the way things are progressing ...
Go play your game in the West ... We know what we have to do ...
Let Lone !
Naya Pakistan under the rule of Talban aka PTI..............yeyyyyy,yuhoo. Right PTI??
@Alann: "Out of the top 35 Failed States in the world today, 22 are either Islamic or have a significant Muslim population." Yes. It was prophesied 1400 years ago. Only those muslims know about this who actually read about Islam. The rest just give idiotic liberal comments like above. And telling you the fact, that they will suffer more, until they will unite again, will follow the exact Islam as we should follow. Till then, people like you can enjoy them this way. Jihad has got nothing to do with terrorism. You are just brain washed, as being pro-westerns. Who created this word for their benefits and attacking everyone :). Many are just naive, lost, to even think what is happening around. To the rest of the people, Pakistan was created in the name of Islam - Meaning of Pakistan; There is no God but Allah (Pakistan ka matlab kya; la ilaha illa Allah). Who don't want this, and Islamic material in books, why don't you migrate to your liberal India? where you can dance and sing through out your lives?
@Rehmat: Jihad literally means to struggle or strive in the way or sake of Allah. Jihad takes a very important status in the doctrine of Islam and is one of the basic duties for every Muslim.Though, it has nothing whatsoever to do with the term Holy War (as described in most english dictionaries). Such a term, or its equivalent doesn’t exist in the Islamic doctrine. The Christian Crusaders in the mid-ages invented this ideology of Holy War. There is nothing “Holy” about wars. Wars only involve killings and disasters! Sadly the word "Jihad" has become synonomous with a mania of religion & conjures up images of fanatics with savage beards & firey eyes marching with guns and attacking the infidels and/or pressing them to recite the Kalima under the edge of the sword. Jihad is NOT killing innocent people. Jihad is NOT flying a plane into a building packed with civilians. Jihad is NOT fighting out of anger and hatred. Jihad is NOT killing others just because they don’t agree with you. Jihad is NOT killing others just because they are not Muslims. This is what needs to taught properly, instead of simply looking the other way and wishing that the incorrect meaning and spirit of Jihad will rectify itself.
What nonsense. Don't restore the religious propaganda removed from the text books. This is a retrograde step. Aren't there enough beheadings and other religious related atrocities already. The PTI is a disgrace.
@Toticalling: Do you know meaning of jihad?
@Sharjeel Raza Khan: Raza and salat are one of the 5 pillars of Islam. are you saying jihad too is one of the 5 pillars of Islam?
I totally agree with IK. Muslims do need to understand what jihad really is. Leaving the real meaning aside will be fairly dangerous. By introducting it again and explaining exactly what it really means will help people to understand that Jihad doesn't only mean fight. There is a bigger meaning to it instead of what people been preaching out there.
i could read alot of comments from people not liking this step, ppl have to open their minds up to take challenge, But have they ever been told what Jihad really is. Running away from things don't solve a problem. You have to deal with the issue to solve it not to run away from it.
ppl need to open their eyes and read more about their history and learn about their culture instead of just watching indian, hollywood movies and critizing on ppl who are willing to give their heart out to work for Pakistan. Words are great motivators...ppl need to rise and learn things..
Teaching Jihad at such an early age is like teaching detailed Sex Education to kindergarteners, they just won't get it.. Concept of Jihad should be taught when nearing adulthood or when a person has developed a social sense.
@Alann: Very, very sorry for my comment. Read it in haste and thought that he want to introduce the softer version of Islam when I read on the sufi poets and replacing arabs. My apologies.
Back to the good old days of Zia-ul-haq
Unfortunately Jihad is misinterpreted on both extreme ends of the spectrum. Terrorists think that killing is Jihad while Liberals think Jihad is killing. I pity both extremists.
Out of the top 35 Failed States in the world today, 22 are either Islamic or have a significant Muslim population. Ironically, India, a country which probably has the biggest (or maybe second biggest now) Muslim population in the world, is not even in "top 75" countries on the Failed State Index. I wonder why...
Maybe it has something to do with not teaching Jihad to the youth? Or more than that, maybe India knows how to care for its masses belonging to many different communities, despite of what the Pakistanis think of "plight" of Muslims in India. I mentioned India because most Pakistanis have the belief that Muslims in India are being oppressed and it is the "pious duty" of Pakistan(is) to liberate them with jihad against India.
Just a random interesting link
It might be an eye opener to some of you; For the rest, feel free to dismiss it as a Zionist Hindu/American/Israeli conspiracy.
How about establishing a proper health care system, increasing revenue, drastically improving the law and order situation, gender equality, rights of minorities, creating jobs....So much else to do but their priorities are not aligned in the direction of public interest. Seems like this government will be nothing but a fiasco just like previous others.
Poorly researched article
dont link terrorism with jihad.. even sufis cnt deny jihad... itz part of islam...
It is a real shame that PTI has accepted JI cum TTP agenda. JI leadership is thriving on past and is clueless about Jihad. They need to learn Jihad of their own nafas first and stop chasing politics. This party has never condemn 50,000+ Pakistanis who got killed by Talibans and keep towing their line. I am disgusted with Imran Khan that he has accepted their line.
Meanings of Jihad are:
The spiritual struggle within oneself against sin. and (among Muslims) A war or struggle against unbelievers.
FYI @Toticalling and @Ali Hashim; you guys better know what you are talking. Bakwas Bakwas and Bakwas.
Mr. Khan you are doing exactly what is needed in KPK, we are with and will support you till we have last drop of blood in our bodies. God bless you.
When I read the heading, I thought that here is one thing PTI(IK) might be doing right. But reading the contents I came to realize that it is actually UNDOING THE REVISION.It confirms now that PTI(IK) is the political arm of TTP and all the regressive forces in Pakistan and active in pushing their agenda through. They are working hard to push the country back a millennium, and undoing anything and everything that the progressive and democratic forces had to work hard to achieve over many decades.This also is enough of a reason to ban JI as a political organisation(and probably PTI too), just like Bangladesh has done ,and Egypt is working on currently.
Great, world was a better place when Jihad was in practice, once Muslims left practical Jihad there is chaos everywhere.
Great efforts god bless u IK. no one can hide the truth.
Proof that PTI is the new political wing of TTP.
So it took years to undo 'the Zia touch' from the text books and here PTI redoes it and all the efforts of the previous government goes down the drain. KPK needs jihad? Against whom? KPK is on the receiving end of jihad (although an improper kind). KPK needs peace, not jihad. The only kind of jihad they need to know about is the spiritual jihad. Teach them about peace.
As expected, educational reform always comes down to issues of how long the chapter on jihad should be.
@Raj
How are the intentions good? Did you even read the whole article properly? How is re-introducing 'jihad' in school books a good decision in a place where people are killed everyday in the name of religion?
All those who have been hating India all along even when too many Indians tried to correct them, I hope they read this article. This article is a perfect example of how Pakistan's various governments have ruined their youth and filled them with false facts and hatred against their neighbour country for so many years. Just like I've already myself said it few times on ET, hating India based on your own beliefs and without any solid facts or partial truths will only drag your country more towards self-destruction. Instead the youth of Pakistan needs to start questioning every single decision of their governments (and military) - it is the only way to bring about a positive reform in the country and also in its international image. Sending & supporting "good talibanis" who attack neighbours and create tensions won't really help in the long run. Your "leaders" will fly away to UK or Saudi Arabia the moment something goes terribly wrong in Pakistan and will call it a "self-imposed exile"; Nawaz Sharif, Musharraf, Bhutto - they all have done it. It is the youth and future generations who are going to suffer ultimately - not that they are not suffering already...
Good thoughts. Intentions are also good. But, I do not think PTI will be able to do anything on this.
I have always suspected that Imran Khan is a mullah in disguise. In this 21st century, we do not need jihad, if we did, would not be migrating to non Muslim countries in millions and living with them as friends. In fact we enjoy more freedom here than back home. It appears more and more people want to live in 6th century. We are all human beings and we should distance ourselves only from those who are evil and not because they belong to another faith. I say IK should not include jihad texts.
How about include the word 'jihad' and tell what it really means?
Secondly, there is nothing different in Sufism and main stream Islam. It's the so called followers that have messed it up.
If true this is really crazy! The sad part is that it exposes the PTI's real credentials and agenda. I would have thought that a political party with a new message of Justice and with support from the educated youth of Pakistan today would be more balanced in its approach and would not just bend to the pressures from the extremists. Perhaps I am wrong they are not bending to the pressure- they are part of the pressure! Surely this cannot auger well for the naya Pakistan they have in mind.