Assignment

INSTITUTE OF BUSSINESS & INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY

Sectarianism in
Pakistan



Submitted by:
Muhammad Shahrukh (F13BB022)
Ali Nawaz (F13BB048)
Mahpara Arshad (F13BB027)
Maheen Fatima (F13BB033)
Zahra Chaudhry (F13BB003)
Hafiz Muhammad Uzair (F13BB032)
Sakran Hakeem Khan (F13BB044)
Sadaf Saeed (F13BB039)
Nimra Malik (F13BB026)

Submitted To:
Sir Altaf
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Sectarianism in Pakistan

INTRODUCTION
(Former president Pakistan: Pervaiz Musharraf)
What is Sectarianism?

Sectarianism is a narrow minded belief that leads to prejudice discrimination & ill will
towards presumed members of religious denomination.
Sectarianism in Islam

In Islam the major divisions are Sunni & Shia. But in Islam there is no Discrimination of
sects as it is clear from the following verses:

And hold firmly to the rope of Allah all together and do not become divided. And remember the favor
of Allah upon you - when you were enemies and He brought your hearts together and you became, by
His favor, brothers. And you were on the edge of a pit of the Fire, and He saved you from it. Thus does
Allah make clear to you His verses that you may be guided? (Surat 'li `Imrn {3:103}).

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In above verses the believers who are united are mentioned as guided ones and the
people who are divided are mentioned as misguided folks. It means that Muslims are
misguided because of their sectarianism.



Indeed, those who have divided their religion and become sects - you, [O Muhammad], are not
[associated] with them in anything. Their affair is only [left] to Allah; then He will inform them about
what they used to do. (Al-'An`am {6:159})
In this verse Allah says that one should disassociate oneself from those who divide their
religion and break it up into sects.
These verses clearly depict the truth that unity is the favor and grace from God and
division and dissensions are the curses of God.
Sectarianism in Pakistan & Quaid- e - Azam

Sectarianism in Pakistan refers to attacks against people & places in Pakistan motivated
by antagonism towards the target sects, usually a religious group. Targets in Pakistan
may include Sunni majority, Shia and the small Ahmadi, Hindu & Christian groups.
Quaid-e-Azam was against sectarianism among Muslims. He did not just verbally advise
people of shun prejudices and abandon sectarianism but also made practical efforts in
this jihad. He started the Jihad against sectarianism by getting his sister Rehmat Bai
married to a Sunni youth. He thus set an example to end the evil of sectarianism.
In 1946, a team of BBC came to interview Jinnah asked him that what is your religion.
Jinnah said I am a Muslim. They asked to which sect he belong? Jinnah replied I
belong to the same sect to which my Hoy prophet (P.B.U.H) belonged to.

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HISTORICAL BACKGROUND

Sectarian conflict in Pakistan traces its roots to the Pakistani state's attempts to forge a
national identity based on Islam. Muslim nationalism in India at the start of the Pakistan
movement was broadly pan-Islamic in nature and aloof to sectarianism. However, as
early as the 1950s when new textbooks were commissioned for junior classes, the official
narrative began to shift.
Munir report 1959
In 1954 the Pakistan government appointed a court of inquiry into the anti-Ahmadi
violence. The Munir Commission, named after the Supreme Court chief justice who
headed it, published a report that contained a very prescient assessment of future
Islamist politics in Pakistan. It concluded that the government should keep out of the
business of defining who is, or is not, a Muslim and of how Islam is to be enforced as the
state religion:
Keeping in view the several definitions given by the ulema (of who is a Muslim) need we make any
comment except that no two learned divines are agreed on this fundamental? If we attempt our own
definition as each learned divine has done and that definition differs from that given by all others, we
unanimously go out of the fold of Islam. And if we adopt the definition given by any one of the ulema,
we remain Muslims according to the view of that alim but kafirs according to the definition of everyone
else. ... What is happening now seems almost the writing on the wall, and God help us if we do not stop
these . . . People from cutting each others throat.
Zias Rule

In addition to the emphasis on a singular Muslim identity, which excluded the Shias, the
1974 constitutional amendment stoked fresh fires of sectarianism by launching apostasy
verdicts against the Ahmadi community of Pakistan. Under continuing rule of
Muhammad Zia-ul-Haq, sectarianism in Pakistan, especially in Karachi and South
Punjab, became violent as the process of Islamization began in the Pakistani judicial
system. Zia's rule fostered the growth of sectarianism in a number of ways. It created
among the Shia community a perception that his government was moving rapidly
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towards the establishment of a Sunni Hannafi state in which the 'Islamisation' of laws
was seen to reflect the 'Islam' of the dominant community. The 1980 'gherao' (siege) of
the government Secretariat in Islamabad by tens of thousands of Shias protesting
against the Zakat and Ushr ordinance was a clear indication of their apprehensions
regarding Zia's 'Islamisation' project.
By the end of Zia's rule the consequences of his policies were fairly obvious. Over the
last decade there has been a major escalation in sectarian tension, the number of
sectarian killings and armed sectarian groups. Among those that have gained
particular prominence are the Sipah-i-Mohammad Pakistan (SMP), which is an off-shoot
of the Tehrik-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria (TNFJ), the main politico-religious Shia party in
Pakistan, later renamed the Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan (TFP); the Anjuman Sipah-e-
Sahaba, later renamed the Sipah-e-Sahaba-Pakistan (SSP), an off-shoot of the Jamiat-
e-Ulema-e-Islam (JUI), a leading politico-religious Sunni Deobandi party. A further off-
shoot of the SSP is the even more militant Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
Sipah-e-Muhammad Pakistan

During the 1980s, Zia-ul-Haq allowed and encouraged the militant Deobandi Islamization of
Pakistan. One of the organizations that arose in this period was the Sipah-e-Sahaba, a
Deobandi-supremacist militant group that considered the Shia Muslim minority to be
'infidels'. The Deobandi militia Sipah-e-Sahaba targeted Shia mosques, community leaders,
as well as Iranian visitors and diplomats. They orchestrated the assassination of Iranian
diplomat Sadiq Ganji in Lahore, Pakistan. They were also involved in the killings of Iranian Air
Force cadets visiting Pakistan in the early 1990s, when sectarian attacks on Shia Muslims in
Pakistan were at their peak. Both acts occurred in the northern city of Rawalpindi and
greatly disturbed contemporary Pakistan-Iran relations.
In response to this, Maulana Mureed Abbas Yazdani is believed to have formed Sipah-e-
Muhammad as a splinter of the larger and more mainstream, Shia political organization,
Tehreek-e-Jaferia Pakistan (Movement of Shias, Pakistan), since that organization was not
encouraging a violent response to the Sipah-e-Sahaba's attacks. Sipah-e-Muhammad's
primarily aim was to target the leaders of the banned Deobandi militia Sipah-e-Sahaba or
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi. However, with the subsequent rise in the violence against Shia Muslims, it
was thought to be reforming .The movement was strong in various Shia communities in
Pakistan, and in the majority Shia town of Thokar Niaz Baig ran a "virtual state within a state"
in the 1990s.

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Tehrik-e-Jafaria Pakistan

It was formerly known as Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria. Arif Hussain Hussaini, a student
of Ruhollah Khomeini who led the Iranian Revolution, was the group's leader. It is the
second group that split off from Shia leader Agha Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi's T.N.F.J,
Agha Moosavi led the group after the death of Mufti Jafar Hussain. In December 1983,
a delegation led by Sajid Naqvi, a renowned religious figure, requested Agha Moosavi
to accept leadership of Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Fiqh-e-Jafaria, and finally a large gathering
comprising hundreds of thousands of Pakistani Shia Muslims held at Dina, Pakistan on
February 9, 1984 and endorsed the leadership of Agha Hamid Ali Shah Moosavi. He got
the title of Leader of the Twelver community. Meanwhile, Arif Hussain Hussaini split the
T.N.F.J and become the head of second group and continues to function under the old
name of T.N.F.J. Later, Arif Hussain Hussaini changed the name of T.N.F.J to Tehrik-e-
Jafaria (T.J.P). The T.J.P founder, Arif Hussain Hussaini was assassinated in 1988 by
unknown attackers. However, the defunct sectarian group Sipah-e-Sahaba was
accused.
Following the death of Zia-ul-Haq, support for the T.J.P fell, as Pakistani Shias went back
to pre-Zia-ul-Haq political loyalties, with many no longer feeling under threat.
Furthermore, the elections of moderate Benazir Bhutto also gave increased confidence
to Shia Muslim and they were no longer under threat and the discrimination ended.
On January 12, 2002, the T.J.P was banned along with three other terrorist organizations,
banned by the government of Pakistan. The T.J.P was banned two times during
President Pervez Musharraf's government.
Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan

Sipah-e-Sahaba is an Islamic organization which was established on September 06,
1985 in Jhang, Pakistan. Sipah-e-Sahaba is seeking legislation for Companions and
Wives of Prophet Muhammad (PBUH), so that no non-muslim could abuse Sahaba
(Radhiyallahu Anhum). On the eve of Iranian resolution, shia organization, Tehreek-e-
Jafaria was formed on April 12, 1978 in Bhakkar, Punjab Pakistan. And after the Irani
resolution in 1979, Khomeni and Shias showed their real face and start abusing
Companions of the noble Prophet Muhammad (PBUH). Tehreek-e-Jafaria and Tehreek-
e-Nafaz-e-Fiqa Jafaria, funded by Iran, started gathering shias from all over Pakistan
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and established terrorist camps. Main terrorist camps were established in Parachanar,
Gilgit and Miawali.
Pakistani government was ignorant to that situation. Iran funded shia organization, on
July 4, 1980, surrounded parliament house of Pakistan in Islamabad, and shias were
given exemption from the collection of Zakat. In addition to this, shias spread many
books in different languages in which they abused companions of the noble Prophet
Muhammad (PBUH).
The reaction of the above situation was the establishment of Sipah-e-Sahaba by
Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi Shaheed on September 6, 1985 in Jhang, Punjab
Pakistan. Trained shia terrorists, in pursuing their evil religion started terrorism in Pakistan
and assassinated Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi Shaheed on February 22, 1990.But that
was only the beginning of terrorism against Sipah-e-Sahaba.
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi

Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) is one of Pakistan's most violent Sunni Muslim militant groups.
Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), a Sunni-Deobandi terrorist outfit was formed in 1996 by a
breakaway group of radical sectarian extremists of the Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP),
a Sunni extremist outfit, which accused the parent organisation of deviating from the
ideals of its slain co- founder, Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi. It is from Maulana Jhangvi
that the LeJ derives its name. It was formed under the leadership of Akram Lahori and
Riaz Basra. The LeJ is one of the two sectarian terrorist outfits proscribed on August 14,
2001, by President Pervez Musharraf. The LeJ aims to transform Pakistan into a Sunni
state, primarily through violent means. The Lashkar-e-Jhangvi is part of the broader
Deoband movement.
More than 70 doctors and 34 lawyers, various Ulema (religious scholars), teachers and
students of seminaries, politico-religious parties leaders and activists, officials of various
government and private institutions have been assassinated between June 2000 and
June 2002 in Pakistan by the SSP and the LeJ. The LeJ has also carried out numerous
attacks against Iranian interests and Iranian nationals in Pakistan. The outfit uses terror
tactics with the aim of forcing the Pakistani State into accepting its narrow
interpretations of Sunni sectarian doctrines as official doctrines.
In 1999, the LeJ, in a press release, offered a reward of 135 million Pakistani rupees for
anyone who would undertake the killing of Nawaz Shareef, the then Prime Minister;
Shabaz Shareef, his younger brother and the then Chief Minister of Punjab, and
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Mushahid Hussain, the then Information Minister. An attempt was, indeed, made on the
life of Nawaz Shareef when a bomb exploded and destroyed a bridge between Lahore
and Raiwind, barely an hour before he was to pass by on January 2, 1999.
According to senior investigators, the Al Qaeda network is suspected to have worked
with LeJ cadres to plan both the car-bomb attacks. Intelligence sources have
indicated that certain LeJ terrorists arrested in Karachi in June 2002 have been
allegedly working with the Al Qaeda to strike at targets in Pakistan.
Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan

Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), famously known as Pakistani Taliban, is the deadliest
among all indigenous militant outfits. The inceptions leading to the formation of TTP
went back to the days of NATO operations in Afghanistan after 9/11. After the
American intervention in Afghanistan, a section of radicals started a movement inside
Pakistan to support the Taliban. They remained just sympathiser till Lal Masjid (Red
Mosque) incident happened in July 2007. In December 2007 the existence of the TTP
was officially announced under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud. 13 groups united
under the leadership of Baitullah Mehsud to form the TTP in an undisclosed place in
South Waziristan Agency of Federally Administered Tribal Areas (FATA). The sole
objective of the Shura meeting was to unite the small militant fractions under the
leadership of TTP against NATO forces in Afghanistan and to wage a defensive jihad
against Pakistani forces.
Lashkar-e-Omar

Lashkar-e-Omar (LeO) is a new terrorist group reportedly founded in January 2002 and is
a conglomerate of Harkat-ul-Jihad-i-Islami (HuJI), Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ) and Jaish-e-
Mohammed (JeM) cadres. It was formed after the arrests of several front-ranking
Islamist leaders in Pakistan following President Pervez Musharrafs address to the nation
on January 12, 2002, in which he committed himself to dismantling the structures and
networks of terrorism based in his country. The etymology of Lashkar-e-Omar is yet not
clear. According to some reports, it is named after Mullah Mohammed Omar, chief of
the Taliban militia. Other reports have indicated that the name is allegedly a direct
homage to Syed Ahmed Omar Sheikh, a front-ranking JeM terrorist who was, on July 15,
2002, sentenced to life by an Anti-Terrorism Court in Hyderabad, Sindh, for his role in the
abduction-cum-murder of US journalist Daniel Pearl.
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The LeO first came into prominence in November 2001 when it reportedly claimed
responsibility for an attack on a church in Bahawalpur in Punjab. A police personnel
and 17 Christians, including five children, were killed and nine others injured when six
unidentified gunmen opened indiscriminate fire at a church in Model Town,
Bahawalpur, on October 28, 2001.
Statistical report of Sectarian Violence

From 1989 till today up to 3000 incidents of ethno-sectarian violence have occurred in
which thousands of people have lost their lives.
According to Pak Institute for Peace Studies (PIPS) Pakistan Security Report 2012 the
overall incidents of sectarian violence, including sectarian-related terrorist attacks and
clashes, increased significantly, by about 53 percent, in 2012 as compared to 2011.
More than 85 percent of such attacks and clashes and 68 percent of the people killed
in these incidents were concentrated in four cities/regions of Karachi, Quetta, Gilgit
and Kurram Agency.
According to the Pakistan Security Report 2013 launched by Pak Institute for Peace
Studies (Pips), the rise in sectarian violence started in 2011 and continued through the
subsequent years.
The report maintained that there had been 208 incidents of sectarian-related terrorist
attacks in the country in which 658 people were killed and 1,195 injured.Furthermore,
the number of suicide attacks across the country also rose by 39 per cent as 46 suicide
attacks were reported in 2013 compared to 33 in 2012.Of these, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa
(KP) witnessed 18 suicide attacks in 2013 while 12 attacks occurred in the Federally
Administered Tribal Areas. Furthermore, nine suicide attacks occurred in Balochistan,
five in Sindh and one each in Rawalpindi and Azad Kashmir.The report claimed that
nine suicide attacks in 2013 were related to sectarian clashes and were mainly carried
out by Lashkar-e-Jhangvi.
One of the suicide blasts was carried out by nationalist insurgents and another two
attacks were carried out during inter-militant clashes.
The security report has also endorsed the establishment of the Cabinet Committee on
National Security (CCNS), and has recommended expansion of its role. It stated that
the committees role should be shifted from that of a consultative decision-making
body to implementing the National Security Initiatives (NSIs).
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The data compiled by South Asian Terrorism Portal reveals that in the current year
alone, approximately 150 civilians, mostly Shias, have died in sectarian violence in
Pakistan. In comparison only 23 violent deaths were recorded in the Indian controlled
Kashmir in 2012.
Even with a six-time larger demographic footprint, 62 civilians reportedly died in terrorist
violence in India in 2012, whereas 734 civilians became victims of terrorist violence in
Pakistan during the same time period.
The attack on Data Darbar, the mausoleum of Lahores patron saint, in July 2010 left
almost 50 moderate Sunni Muslims dead.







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Sectarian Violence Report
Sectarian Violence in Pakistan: 1989-2014
Year Incidents Killed Injured
1989 67 18 102
1990 274 32 328
1991 180 47 263
1992 135 58 261
1993 90 39 247
1994 162 73 326
1995 88 59 189
1996 80 86 168
1997 103 193 219
1998 188 157 231
1999 103 86 189
2000 109 149 NA
2001 154 261 495
2002 63 121 257
2003 22 102 103
2004 19 187 619
2005 62 160 354
2006 38 201 349
2007 341 441 630
2008 97 306 505
2009 106 190 398
2010 57 509 1170
2011 30 203 297
2012 173 507 577
2013 128 525 914
2014 51 140 198
Total* 2920 4850 9389
*Data till June 22, 2014
Source: Constructed from media reports

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LEGISLATIONS TO
OVERCOME SECTARIANISM
IN PAKISTAN
Threats of sectarianism can be reduced by making policies. Minorities should be given
equal rights. There should be seats for them in assembly so that sense of difference not
develop in them. Unity is best defense which can be achieved by abolishing
sectarianism.
Federal Shariat Court

In 1980 the Federal Shari at Court (FSC) of Pakistan is a court which has the power to
examine and determine whether the laws of the country comply with Shari a law.
Appeal against its decisions lie to the Shari at Appellate Bench of the Supreme Court,
consisting of 3 Muslim judges of the Supreme Court and 2 Ulema, appointed by the
President. If any part of the law is declared to be against Islamic law, the government is
required to take necessary steps to amend such law appropriately.
Blasphemy law

The Pakistan Penal Code prohibits blasphemy against any recognised religion,
providing penalties ranging from a fine to death. An accusation of blasphemy
commonly subjects the accused, police, lawyers, and judges to harassment, threats,
and attacks. An accusation is sometimes the prelude to vigilantism and rioting. Calls
for change in the blasphemy laws have been strongly resisted by Islamic parties. The
first purpose of those laws is to protect Islamic authority. By the constitution (Article
2), Islam is the state religion. By the constitution's Article 31, it is the country's duty to
foster the Islamic way of life. By Article 33, it is the country's duty to discourage
parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian, and provincial prejudices among the citizens

Section 260(3) of Pakistans constitution defines whom the law considers a Muslim.
This is exceedingly important because the constitution restricts certain government
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offices to Muslims. For example, Section 41(2) requires that the President be a
Muslim of not less than forty-five years of age

But more than simply disenfranchising some citizens, the sectarian clauses in the
constitution have created second-class citizens of religious minorities, and given
fodder for the hateful rhetoric of extremists that encourages such violence as was
witnessed last Friday. In fact, the massacre of the Ahmadis was not the first time that
a religious minority has suffered violent attack in recent months. Last August, religious
extremists attacked a community of Christians in Gojra, killing many and burning
down several dozen homes. Pakistans parliament and President Zardari were quick
to condemn the attacks in Gojra and provide funding to compensate victims, but
until the government purges the aberrant laws that extremists use to justify.

Under the Pakistan Penal Code in 2006, the government banned 16 books 12
weekly magazines, 9 monthlies and one daily newspaper to discourage the
circulation of hate material. In 2005, the government had already banned about
133 publications. The amount of money spent by extremist organisations to
produce offensive literature still runs into millions of rupees every month.
Inevitably, the literature targets Shias, Ahmadis and Christians, and is freely
available in the areas of operation of sectarian and jihadi organisations.

These attacks, future violence is all but inevitable. Cornell doctoral student Basit
Riaz Sheikh, agrees. Writing for English- language daily, Express Tribune, Sheikh
notes that the sectarian tensions that increasingly flare up today are rooted in
the regime of dictator Zia-ul-Haq. Article 33 of Pakistans constitution requires the
state to discourage parochial, racial, tribal, sectarian and provincial prejudices
among the citizens. This vital mission of the government cannot be achieved
while sectarian prejudice is codified in the nations laws. In order to protect the
rights and the safety of all citizens, Pakistans Parliament should immediately
move to amend the constitution by removing Section 260(3) and other sectarian
laws.

The defunct Sipahe-e-Sahaba Pakistan (now operating under the name of Ahle
Sunnat wal-Jammat Pakistan) used to distribute more than a dozen pamphlets
and booklets in which so-called objectionable material from Shia history books
was reproduced, and readers were urged to get rid of these blasphemers. It is
disappointing to note that this hate literature is popular amongst various
government offices and as recently as 2005 was openly found on the tables of
government officials. In the face of such official apathy, and in some cases,
complicity, it is no wonder that accusations of blasphemy were frequent in the
Punjab, which is home to most sectarian outfit.


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CAUSES OF SECTARIANISM
IN PAKISTAN
"Who" is behind the sectarian violence is not as important as "what" is behind it. Throw in
a heap load of "ignorance", a handful of "bigotry", a touch of "intolerance" and mix it with
"a political agenda" and you have a lethal concoction which can only result in hate and
violence. It is only by eradicating, or at least controlling these factors that peace will be
restored. However some of these factors are discussed below:
1. Intolerance:
Pakistan is probably the only country where hate and intolerance can be are openly
professed in public. An important cause of conflict is the divided society in the
educational system. All the often, both public school and private Madrassas promotes
intolerance n Extremism. These attitude have encouraged increasing violence which
threatens to consume the entire country with deadly effect.
2. Disunity:
Our dishonest n corrupt politicians who exploit innocent people to divide n rule.
Politician divide people unity Sindhi, Punjabi, Baluchi, and Pashtun etc. This ethnic
sectarianism increased day by day thats Punjabis dont like Sindhis .even Sunni dont
like Shia s etc. these all are the example of sectarianism in Pakistan.
3. Fight Due To Religion:
The origin of sectarianism violence in Pakistan can be traced back to war against the
soviet occupation of Afghanistan. Large number of Islamic group and madrassa
popped up inside Pakistan. The Shia n Sunni violence is a notable and a very important
features in Pakistan. Religion extremism is a reactionary attitude resulting from
socioeconomic, political n religion causes.


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4. Unsatisfied Judgment System:
We believe that judiciary system of Pakistan is also responsible who failed to uphold
these criminals and at certain occasions they made unjustified decisions to make there
groups and rulers happy. These sort of terrorism could be stopped by following the
teachings of Islam and by treating all the citizen equally.
5. Lack of Trust on Government:
In our country the government is not so efficient that the people could trust it.
Government just use people for their own motives and the leader of different sectors in
our country just have concern with their issues. No politics have been made to resolve
the social issues which are destroying our country.
6. Politicization:
Another factor sustaining the sectarian intolerance is its politicisation. Sectarian parties
have entered the arena of politics; clerics contest elections on sectarian, rather than
Islamic basis. Sectarian intolerance is now the springboard for political dividend. Even
mainstream political parties like to have electoral adjustment with sectarian clerics-
turned politicians.
The conflict between sectarian groups is not merely ideological; often it is impelled by
the desire to obtain political power. Undue patronage of the clergy by various
governments has steadily raised their public profile and influence, culminating in a
larger than life political clout of sectarian parties.
7. Orthodoxy in the Religious Scholarship:
Another cause is dominance of orthodoxy in the religious scholarship and their
acceptance as an authority on religion. While orthodoxy holds the sway; mainstream
clergy stands marginalized. Peripheral theological debates provide the basis for volatile
divisions. As a result, healthy academic discourse has been replaced by militancy.
8. Quota system:
Quota system in getting jobs and admissions in various institutions prevents the deserving to
get the merit, denies admission to deserving students, and disqualifies a deserving job
seeker because of his race and language.
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9. The Madrassas
Various madrassas, especially in Punjab and Karachi, accentuated existing sectarian
cleavage. Each Sunni schism (Deobandi, Brehlvi, Wahabi) and Shias ran their own
madrassas for providing basic education. The curriculum was decided by the madaris.
As a result, when sectarian fault lines got pronounced, a hate campaign was
introduced vis-a-vis the other sect. Besides, the madrassas also provided manpower for
these sectarian organizations, leading to sectarian engagements on the streets and
dividing them further. The communities started defending their faith by protecting and
supporting the offenders instead of condemning their violence. This support took the
form of political, personal and financial patronage, which only accentuated the cycle
of violence.

10. Foreign Support
The friendly Muslim countries are also involved in promoting and strengthening of
sectarian organizations in the country in general. Iran is backing Shia organizations and
Arab states are financing Sunni and Deobandi sectarian groups to further their own
interests. The Western countries are also providing funds to moderate religious groups as
part of their strategy to hit Islamic Ideology in Pakistan. These foreign interventions are
major agents of sectarianism in the country, which are eventually harming the cause of
national integration.
Illiteracy
If one considers illiteracy and content of education as a driver of conflict and
extremism, then the situation for Pakistan seems bleak. In Pakistan, 45 per cent primary
school children drop out of school and a World Bank report asserts that nearly half the
adult population of Pakistan can't read, with net primary enrollment rates the lowest in
South Asia. According to the Economic Survey of 2009 -10, 42 per cent of the
population has no formal education, only 4 per cent has degree level education, while
many having degrees without attending any university. Between the two extremes, 38
per cent of the population is below matriculation level, with 11 per cent having
education up to matriculation and only 5 per cent up to higher secondary level.
Therefore, Pakistan's poor education system, which in turn limits economic opportunities,
makes young generation targets of militant groups.

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RECOMENDATIONS TO
OVERCOME SECTARIANISM
Limitations on religious festivals:
If you want do any particular religious act, like celebrating eid-milad un-nabi, better to
arrange it inside mosque. Whatever you wana do, but do it inside any boundary, Not
on roads, Sometime we use these processions not for holy purpose but for showing our
strength in city or to tease rival group or sect. Processions always creats issue of law &
order in country , easy to be targeted by terrorists , usually halt all public services , other
sect people who do not want to participate on that religious day have to suffer the
closure of all shops , petrol pumps , hospitals , schools , offices , just for nothing.
Stop Foreign & private Funding:
Govt. should ask brother Islamic countries to stop private fundings to their affiliated
sects. Of course we all know that Saudis back Salafi & Deoband school of thought in
Pakistan and provide money directly & indirectly to their madrassas.
Similarly Khana Farhang Iran has always been interested to spread Iranian revolutionary
thoughts within Pakistan by funding Shiites.
Govt. of Pakistan should cut off all direct aid from these countries. They can give aid,
but through govt. of Pakistan.
Promoting Education:
There is no solution without education that is why even Allah had to send his books and
his prophets. However the prophets have shown that communities can be turned
around very successfully within a decade or so. This is because prophets were lonely
people to start with and they had such heavy opposition to get through. Our task I think
is nothing like that it is very easy. It is because we have a lot of educated people in our
world and there are many concerned people who are really willing to help other. It is
just matter of learning things that could help our communities and teaching them to
each other in an organized way.

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Encourage Nationalism:
We should encourage nationalism to reduce the effects of sectarianism .We must
support Pakistan in every condition against Saudi Arabia OR Iran, We must be Pakistani
first and then anything. And we must be very blunt and brave in our support, if Im Shia
but I see Iran is hurting my Sunni Pakistani brothers in Baluchistan, I must condemn it.
Role of Media:
Media should play their role in helping our society to get out of the effects of this
monster, more such programs should be telecasted where ulamas from different sects
should come and discuss common issues. Media must also play its role by emphasizing
harmony among these sects.
Neutral State Apparatus:
State apparatus should be neutral and must not side with any sectarian party. The
government machinery must work effectively to suppress extremist elements within the
society.
Provision of Jobs & Education:
Provision of jobs, education and economic and social facilities for deprived class to
prevent them from becoming extremists.
Zero Tolerance for Violent Sectarian Groups:
There should be zero tolerance for violent sectarian groups and their leaders. Political
advantages should not bar political leadership from taking a principled position
against those who are challenging the writ of the state.
Eradicating Sectarianism at individual level:
At individual level, citizens must have awareness about sects and the need for
tolerance and respect for all sects. As Pakistani, we must realize our responsibilities and
indicate the moles present in our society.

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Sectarianism in Pakistan
CONCLUSION
Sectarianism is a curse to our society. Every individual should play its vital role to
eradicate this social evil from our society. The government must act in a prudent
manner to bring sectarian parties at one page by addressing their concerns. Both
internal and external factors promote sectarian violence and likely future scenarios be
analyzed before formulation of counter sectarianism policies. In short, for long lasting
peace and harmony in Pakistan, short term anti-sectarianism plans will not work. A long
term counter sectarianism strategy be implemented for an effective remedy of the
sectarian issue.
The U.S., Western Europe, Japan and Arab countries have spent millions of dollars in
spreading a jihadi mindset that now plagues Pakistani society; now it is also the
responsibility of international community to help Pakistan in removing this problem.
Therefore, it should provide help not just in the form of loans, grants and financial
assistance, but also in building and investing in economic zones in areas that have
been rehabilitated.
Finally, what is needed most is the faith and unity among sects. One must think in terms
of being a Pakistani rather than being called Shia or Sunni. Therefore it is considered
that through aforementioned preventive and corrective measures and implementing
given recommendations the sectarian violence can be tamed.