Punjabi Taliban
Thursday, October 22, 2009
A report published by the Washington Times said,
Extremists from Punjab had increasingly taken control of the Taliban forces fighting the army in Waziristan, but might now be fleeing back to Punjab “which already has been the scene of multiple suicide bombings” before the army launched the offensive.
Madrassahs from all over the country in general and from Punjab in particular have been the major source of recruitment of terrorists. These Madrassahs are academic home to not only the major part of the poor youth of Punjab but also the rest of the country, particularly, NWFP. Pseudo Islamist parties and a number of foreign actors provide financial and all other type of support to these Madrassahs. These Madrassahs do not belong to one school of thought but they have one common misperceived goal which is to enforce sharia through force. That's another reality that each school of thought has its own interpretation of sharia different than the other. Whereas behind the scene actors have their own vested interests and not the love of Islam, quite a few innocent educated and the rich Pakistanis and Pakistanis living abroad are also victim of the mindset that Islam can only be spread through force and the society can only be made to practice Islam through force. Since students join these Madrassahs in early childhood and remain there for their entire period of impressionable age, the students 'graduating' from these Madrassahs have only one mindset; force all and sundry to follow their version of Islam and if they do not kill them by waging Jihad implying that if in the process these jihadis get killed they will go to heaven. It was this very theme which produced jihadis to fight against Russian invasion of Afghanistan and later the freedom struggle in Kashmir. However, 9/11 reversed the situation and jihadis of yesteryears have now become terrorists. Pakistan government created these jihadis and armed them and only government can shatter them and disarm them. The government can only do this if it has political will to do it.
Labels: Madrasahs, Pseudo Islam, War on Terror
posted @ 11:49 PM,
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Closing down Illegal Seminaries
Thursday, June 18, 2009
Capital Development Authority (CDA) has started issuing notices to seminaries (madrassahs) operating illegally in Islamabad territory. Reportedly, there are a total of 260 seminaries of which 15 are operating illegally. According to CDA officials, some of these illegal seminaries are spreading hatred against the government and the army, and are promoting extremism. It's never too late to mend!
CDA doesn't let a citizen change the design of one's house by an inch without its prior approval. What has CDA been doing for all these years right from the laying down of foundations of these seminaries to their construction and functioning? Was it the fear of reaction or some officials have been pocketing money to keep their eyes closed. It's worth finding out as to how many such seminaries are operating illegally all over Pakistan. It's equally relevant to find out as to how many of the seminaries operating legally are also involved in spreading hatred and promoting extremism. And, last but not the least, as to how many of these madrassahs are serving as the training grounds for would be taliban.
CDA doesn't let a citizen change the design of one's house by an inch without its prior approval. What has CDA been doing for all these years right from the laying down of foundations of these seminaries to their construction and functioning? Was it the fear of reaction or some officials have been pocketing money to keep their eyes closed. It's worth finding out as to how many such seminaries are operating illegally all over Pakistan. It's equally relevant to find out as to how many of the seminaries operating legally are also involved in spreading hatred and promoting extremism. And, last but not the least, as to how many of these madrassahs are serving as the training grounds for would be taliban.
Labels: Madrasahs, Seminaries, War on Terror
posted @ 2:12 PM,
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Madrassahs and Writ of State of Pakistan
Monday, May 11, 2009
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?
Labels: Extremism, Islamization, Madrasahs, Pakistan, Taliban, Terrorism
posted @ 7:05 PM,
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