Pakistan

There is a vast network of Madrassas (private education institutions of different sects offering Islamic education as per their own perceptions and political agendas). These Madrassas offer free education, boarding and lodging, stipends and even free clothings to their students. Who finances these Madrassas and what is taught therein is not known to the government. Government officials are not allowed to enter these Madrassas what to talk of monitoring them. With soaring population, ever increasing poverty, inability of the government to provide affordable education and the bias of the society, in general, and, that of the poor in particular, towards the teachings of Islam without truly understanding them, the poor, who generally have more children and less resources to feed them readily send their children to these Madrassas. Our society on the whole has handed over its religion to the Mullahs; a convenient way of shirking its responsibility to understand and follow the true peaceful teachings of Islam. It's common knowledge that the impressions formed in childhood go along with a person right till the grave. Not all, but certainly some of these Madrassas hammer incorrect concept of Jihad into the mind of these innocent children of the poor. It is propagated that Islam should be spread through force and the followers of unislamic teachings as per their perceptions should be done away with by force if they don't fallback to the fold of Islam. Poverty and teachings of pseudo Islam put together alienate the poor youth from the rest of the society. It is this youth which is available to Taliban and the likes for recruitment.

All of these Madrassas are run by Islamist parties most of which have their political and militant wings. A number of efforts have been made by the government including Musharraf's regime to register these Madrassas but in vain. Political conveniences and the fear of reactions from the Mullahs have not let the registration and monitoring happen. The governments have been deferring it which has facilitated the stregtheningn of the Mullah and Madrassas. Lest it is too late, it is high time that registration and monitoring of these Madrassas is undertaken irrespective of the opposition which may have to be faced. The government should know that people of Pakistan have time and again rejected these Mullahs as is evident from the results of the elections held to date, and that the poor send their children to Madrassas not as a matter of choice but compulsion.

Ever since the independence, the citizens of Pakistan are yet to make up their mind as to whether they are Pakistanis first and Muslims later or vice verse. This very debate has given birth to a number of other debates; Punjabi first or Pakistani first, Sindhi first or Pakistani first, Bauchi first or Pakistani first, Pashtun first or Pakistani first and so on. Going by the same analogies, it will be worth pondering about the people in minority. Are we willing to concede to the minorities to be Hindus/Christians/Sikhs first and Pakistani later? And, if so, to what degree.

If we come to think about it rationally, the very subject of this debates is ill founded. It's like asking a young married man if he is a son first or a husband first, or, a brother first or a father first and so on. All human beings have to put on more than one hat at the same time. We, as individuals, have our rights and responsibilities with respect to each of the many roles which lie on shoulders. The individuals who adhere to the universal values of justice and brotherhood, live a good life, the ones who don't live miserably. It's only the interpretation of these universal values according to one's convenience which leads to chaos and confusion. A good Muslim will always be a good Pakistani, or if living in another country a good citizen of that country. Similarly, a good Pakistani will always be a good Muslim, if he is one, or a good follower of his religion and vice verse. Being Muslim does not grant us the right to trespass over the rights of others, in fact, it demands of us to respect the rights of others more than what is preached by other religions.

Pakistan has launched a full fledged military operation in Swat region to root out Taliban. It is generally perceived that the religious schools known as Madrassahs opened by various religious parties are the breeding grounds of these Taliban. All madrassahs may not be party to it but some, certainly, are. It's an open secret that there are certain madrassahs and related offices in Pakistan where the government officials can't even enter, what to talk of, their ability to monitor the activities in such areas. Musharraf tried to register these madrassahs but had to ultimate back track for fear of reaction from the proreligious parties. If there is nothing wrong taking place in madrassahs, why should their administrations oppose the registration. It is fair to infer that the writ of state doesn't exist in the madrassahs. Will the Army have to launch more operations to establish writ of state in these madassahs?