The Rise of Religious Extremism and Militancy in Pakistan

The rise of religious extremism and militancy in Pakistan has posed serious challenge to its security and stability. With the introduction of Sharia in Swat Valley, Pakistan made an attempt to reduce tensions between the state and religious extremists. But the extension of the Taliban offensive in a bid to expand to other provinces put paid to the Pakistani establishment’s attempt to contain the situation in Swat valley. Thus the subsequent decision to use force to evict the Taliban by sending in the Pakistan Army in April 2009 was inevitable.

The statements of various leaders within Pakistan and beyond reflect the unstable security situation in Pakistan. President Asif Ali Zardari said in an interview on February 15, 2009, “The Taliban are trying to take over the state of Pakistan. So, we are fighting for the survival of Pakistan.” Earlier President Zardari said in Peshawar on February 6, 2009 that “the militants would be resisted and defeated at all costs”. The U.S. and NATO also acknowledge the growing Taliban challenge to Pakistan. U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton in a statement on February 17, 2009 described religious extremists as a “direct threat to Pakistan”. She further warned on April 22, 2009 of growing religious extremism in Pakistan. General David Petraeus, the commander of the U.S. Central Command stated to a Senate panel on April 1, 2009 that the Taliban and Al-Qaeda based in the border area were “ever more serious threat to Pakistan’s very existence”.

The agreement with the Taliban was signed in Peshawar by the NWFP Chief Minister Ameer Haider Hoti and the Tehrik Nifaz-e Shariat Muhammadi (TNSM) to enforce the ‘Nizam-e Adl’ regulation. The NWFP had signed the deal in consultation with the federal government in Islamabad. The agreement represented an understanding between the two sides about promulgating the Sharia in the Malakand region, which includes Swat. In return, the TNSM leader Mulla Sufi Muhammad had to negotiate a open deal with the Swat Taliban led by his son-in-law Maulana Fazlullah, the latter being a deputy of Baitullah Mehsud, the leader of the Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP). The federal government and military was also needed to be on board for this to work. The ISPR spokesman said that the military will remain in the region and it will respond with full force if attacked. He elaborated that the military will also be needed to carry out duties of maintaining law and order since the police and the Frontier Corps are under-strength and considerably demoralised. It was endorsed in a meeting on February 19, 2009 between President Zardari, Prime Minister Yousaf Raza Gillani and the Chief of Army Staff , Ashfaq Parvez Kayani that the military will remain in place.

The National Assembly unanimously passed the Nizam-e Adl regulation on April 13, 2009 to impose Sharia in the Malakand division in accordance with a peace agreement between the NWFP and Sufi Muhammad, the TNSM. President Zardari signed the Nizam-e Adl regulation the same day. The Nizam-e Adl deal had faced opposition within Pakistan but it did not come out openly because it was a sensitive issue. The Muttahida Qaumi Movement (MQM) had expressed its reservations over the resolution and abstained from voting to allow it to be passed unanimously. The MQM legislators left the National Assembly before voting began.

The deal had also considerable opposition from Western nations with France severely criticising it. U.S. Special Representative for Pakistan and Afghanistan Richard Holbrooke, on February 20, 2009, described the Swat deal with the Taliban “as murderous thugs and militants who poses a danger not only to Pakistan, but to the United States and India”. A day earlier, he had remarked that “the militants involved in 9/11, the Mumbai attacks and unrest in Swat have common roots”. On the other hand the U.S. White House spokesperson said that the deal was Pakistan’s internal affair and was under the ambit of Pakistan’s constitution. U.S. Defence Secretary Robert Gates said on February 20, 2009 that the deal was a positive development.

The Taliban’s increasing influence in southern Punjab including Multan is a major setback in containing the rise of religious extremism in Pakistan. The growing presence of the Taliban in Punjab province has created uneasiness in Islamabad. The Taliban is also covertly operating in Karachi and that bring with it further problems. Despite all efforts, religious extremism has been steadily spreading in Pakistan. The Pakistan Army and the Frontier Corps started operation in Swat valley on April 27, 2009. The operation against the Taliban in Swat Valley has resulted in a mass exodus of people from the region. Reportedly, around one million people have fled from the Swat valley and have been living in refugee camps. Meanwhile, the army and allied security forces have killed more than two hundred people in the Swat Valley during the ongoing operation although some security forces have also been injured and killed. The operation against the Taliban continues.

The current threat to Pakistan’s stability can be traced to the tribal areas of Pakistan as also Afghanistan. The problems of Pakistan and Afghanistan have respective local roots and they are also inter-linked. Violence and instability in Afghanistan has implications for the tribal areas of Pakistan and vice-versa. Pakistan’s North West frontier Province was exposed to religious extremism and militancy in the 1980s when the area was used for weapons storage and training of militants fighting the Soviet military in Afghanistan and gradually extended to Pakistan’s other provinces. The internal dynamics of the tribal society changed with infusion of arms and drug culture in the region as a result of the Afghan war. The introduction of the Sharia in Malakand and Kohistan is a continuation of the earlier flawed policies of Pakistan.

Containing religious extremism and militancy in Pakistan and Afghanistan requires a two-pronged strategy: firstly, tackle economic deprivation, poverty, under-development, and alienation of people in the troubled areas of both countries; break the linkages between militants in Pakistan and Afghanistan who peddle arms, funds, and cross-border movement of people. Pakistan should adopt a regional approach to contain religious extremism and militancy. The regional countries – India, Iran, Russia, China, and the Central Asian countries – can play a major role in containing militancy in Pakistan and Afghanistan. It must reduce its tensions with India and both countries should cooperate in fighting against religious extremism in the region. Militancy in Pakistan will continue unless it resolves its domestic challenges and maintain friendly relations with the regional countries.

(Disclaimer: The views expressed in this article are those of the author and do not represent the views either of the Editorial Committee or the Centre for Land Warfare Studies).