Rise in extremism

THE year 2017 has ended on a low note for Pakistan’s fight against extremism. Where once the concern
was restricted to impoverished neighbourhoods and lack of education, today extremist thought is
flourishing in the media, political spheres, elite circles and educational institutes.

Numerous professors in universities in Islamabad, Lahore and Karachi show increased concern for
radical and extremist thought that incite violence; a phenomenon previously associated with poverty,
lack of education and/or limited to madressahs. Literature on latent radicalisation in college campuses
across Pakistan helps to provide context to current trends; one need look no further than the brutal
lynching of Mashal Khan at the Abdul Wali Khan University. The misuse of blasphemy laws, often for
revenge or personal gain, can anger young students enough to resort to murder.

That is no surprise in a country that cedes space to the extremist ideology of radical clerics and allows
them to bring the capital on lockdown for weeks. An open incitement to violence against minority
communities, women, students and many more, is likely then to germinate in young minds already
vulnerable to a myriad of regressive circumstances, eg Bacha Khan University in Charsadda recently
banned mixed gatherings on its campus.

Alone won’t end terrorism.

Intolerance, however, is not limited to college campuses or to firebrand clerics. It is not uncommon for
political leaders, eg our information minister, to resort to slurs demonising non-Muslims, in order to
attack their political rivals or to further personal gain. All this in a country that faces a large youth
population that is susceptible to extremism.

There is no scenario where Pakistan’s fight against terrorism can be won solely through military means.
For a state in flux, even obvious observations require repetition.

According to the Global Terrorism Index, terrorism-related violence in Pakis-tan has decreased
considerably since 2014, in part attributable to Operation Zarb-i-Azb. In fact, hundreds of terrorist plots
were reportedly foiled in Pakistan in 2017.

While Pakistan’s security dimension has improved, extremism has been on the rise, despite tremendous
chatter on the subject. Stamping out dissent in college campuses (amongst many other venues) and the
dangerous political mainstreaming of intolerance against minorities create conducive environments that
exacerbate factors generally accepted as increasing youth vulnerability towards violence.

Rise in extremism cannot be quantified. The greatest impediment in investing in counter-extremism

programming is the inability to measure and evaluate progress.

How many fewer young men and women have engaged in acts of violence? How many vulnerable young
people toying with the idea of violence have not been recruited either online or in-person?

Its latent nature is what makes it not only difficult to identify early warning signs but also present
tangible results.

What is measurable though is the increase in safe spaces to voice dissent, public venues that encourage
inclusive community engagement, or the existence of public goods specifically for young people such as
public libraries and parks, amongst many more. In Pakistan’s case, the latter are either rapidly shrinking
or are absent.

Further, investments in prevention, as urgent as they may be, yield long-term, generational results. For a
nation obsessed with instant gratification, there is little political buy-in for such programming.

The country’s national counter-extremism policy has been devised through consultations with political
leadership, religious leaders, scholars, academics, me--dia, civil society organisations, and civil and
military bureaucracy.

The policy, though well intentioned and all-encompassing, lacks cohesive political will to take it forward
and not only implement its measures but sustain its successes.

Global debates and UN resolutions on preventing violent extremism, despite efforts to include civil
society, remain state-centric with an overwhelming focus on building state capacity.

States are often unwilling to grapple with the ultimate internal causes of extremism, which frequently
include their own policies. In some cases, authorities and leaders are themselves beholden to ideologies
that legitimise violence and even propagate it among their own and other populations.

If states are truly looking to tackle violent extremism, they must address their own behaviour.
In Pakistan, alienation, exclusive politics and oppression are structural problems that extremists are
trained and adept at exploiting and cultivating. Any conversation on the prevention of violent extremism
must move beyond building state capacity and begin to address changing state behaviour.

Safeguarding and supporting Pakistan’s next generation requires a sustained effort and not vote-
garnering, political statements.

In environments that are conducive to intolerance and violence, fault lines are increasingly fractured
leaving the state dangerously dithering on its duty to create secure and inclusive spaces for young
people to flourish.

Causes of extremism in South Asia-Pakistan

The Oxford Advanced Learner’s Dictionary describes extremism as “political, religious etc. ideas
or actions that are extreme and not normal, reasonable or acceptable to most people. In other
words, extremism is a term used to describe the actions or ideologies of individuals or groups
outside the perceived political center of a society; or otherwise claimed to violate common
standards of ethics and reciprocity. It is typically used in reference to political and social
ideologies seen as irrational, counterproductive, unjustifiable, or otherwise unacceptable to a
civil society. The term indicates the illegitimacy of certain ideas or methods. According to
Merriam Webster dictionary, Extremism is a quality or state of being extreme, especially
advocacy of extreme political measures .It can also be described as a, “political theory favoring
immoderate, uncompromising policies.
Extremism is closely associated with terrorism, as the rise of extremism can also lead to
increase in terrorist agendas. It is not a religion. It is not Islam. . It may be better defined as a
“political agenda seeking justification in religion”. Normally extremism and terrorism are
considered exchangeable words. In reality they are not. Terrorism is a physical act, whereas
extremism is a state of mind. Terrorists resort to violence in order to achieve their objectives.
Extremist preach and convince others to follow their thoughts.
There exists a clear linkage between the lack of human security and the phenomenon of
extremism. Rise in extremism can lead to human insecurity and vice versa. The governments of
South Asian states have not been able to provide their people with the basic, minimum human
security since these states became independent. Governments and ruling classes, instead of
focusing on dealing with the issues of human survival and development, embarked upon
perpetuating their power and influence. Subsequently, no South Asian country has been able to
free itself from discriminatory and exploitative policies, which increased insecurity and led to
the rising number of communal and terrorist outfits. Despite the problems these outfits have
created, no serious efforts were made by the governments or the civil society to curtail the rise
in extremist trends at the initial stages. All of the regional states are facing the menace of
extremism and terrorism in one or other form.

The South Asian region currently faces grave security threats due to the increasing extremism
and terrorism. There are various factors that have led towards this situation.
The politics of violence and extremism in South Asia is mainly the result of faulty national
policies and interference of external powers. The region’s vast potential is hostage to
unresolved inter-state and intra-state conflicts. In most of the states, the governments (either
democratic or military) have failed in providing good governance and solving social problems
such as unemployment, social injustice, and poverty. The political culture in these states was
unable to meet the imperatives of globalization. In addition, instead of promoting unity and
integration (both at national and regional levels) it led to ethnic solidarities and identification
with religion and culture. The main causes of Extremism are appended below: Extra-regional
actors are primarily responsible for the ongoing wave of terrorism and rising extremism. To
counter Soviet intervention in Afghanistan in 1979, the United States supported and sponsored
the Pakistani government and also the Jihadi groups during the period 1979-1989, which in
post-1990 period became a threat for the security and stability of Pakistan. After Soviet
withdrawal and diminishing of US interests in the region, Pakistan was left in a complete lurch
for dealing with the menace of terrorism and extremism spread over the decade of its war
against Soviets. With the 9/11 incident, Pakistan once again became a frontline state in the war
against terrorism. The renewed interference by US in Pakistan, and Pakistan’s support against
Taliban and Al-Qaeda in Afghanistan once again aggravated the extremist and anti-US
elements, having extensive implications on internal security situation. The extremist trends
have been boosted in the South Asian countries due to the interference by the by neighboring
and extra-regional countries in the internal affairs of the states. The separatist and ethnic
movements have also been supported from across the border, by the governments or any
particular group, for its interests. Like the Tamil rebels group in Sri Lanka, is known to have links
and has received support and been sponsored by the Indian government and the ethnic Tamil
population in India. Similarly the Maoist in Nepal is known to have collaboration and
sponsorship from India. The Kashmiri separatist movement in India has received support from
the Pakistan. And the Bangla national movement, which, resulted in partition of Pakistan and
formation of Bangladesh, was also strongly aided by Indian government.
Poor economic growth along with high population growth has led to the problems of mass
unemployment, hunger and income inequality. The economic inequalities and deprivation has
created frustration and insecurity among the masses, leading to an increasingamong the
masses, leading to an increasing criminalization of society in which there are available targets
for exploitation by the extremist elements in and outside the governments. Along with the
deteriorating economies of South Asia, governmental policies have accentuated the extremist
trend in all these states. Governments, in these countries, whether civil or military, have used
the religion and ethnic card, in order to prolong and strengthen their rule, further
strengthening the fundamentalists and extremists in the society.

There were several factors and events that have led to extremism, sectarianism and terrorism
in Pakistan. These factors include : First the impact of regional events like Iranian revolution,
Afghan Jihad and emergence of Taliban; second Islamisation process by general Zia-ul-Haq in
the late 70s and 80s; third impact of Freedom Struggle in Kashmir and Palestine issue; fourth
9/11 and events thereafter like US war on terror including Pakistan’s u-turn on its policy
towards Taliban and joining Coalition/US forces as a Frontline state in war on terrorism; fifth
Pakistan’s Arms Forces operations in FATA and US strikes in these areas including Lal Masid
Operation and backlash in terms of increased number of suicide attacks on Armed Forces,
Police and VIPs, extensions of Taliban infiltration and influence in settled areas-Swat in NWFP
and sectarian crisis in Parachinar

Short term and long term strategies have been put in place to control extremism. The short
term measures include: first, eviction of foreign elements brought by USA and other countries
to fight USSR and pacification of local supporters, of then the mujahiddin , and now referred to
as militants; second ban on militant organizations, third, ban on hate material and check on
misuse of mosque and loudspeaker. The long term strategy focuses on Madrassah reforms,
revision of curriculum to bring it in line with the values of Islam and national discourse on real
essence of Islam. Pakistan needs to adjust her policies regarding extremism and terrorism
keeping in view current realities. Perhaps minimum use of force with more focus on political
and economic components would be an appropriate strategy. The action –reaction and
reaction-action kind of activities will never end until the strategy of fighting terror does not
change. Closing down madrassas will not prevent extremism. It would only trigger more hatred
and furious reaction. The best solution would be to bring madrassas back into the mainstream,
where students are allowed to get both religious education as well as a modern education.

The way out of the current impasse as suggested by President Musharraf is “Enlightened
Moderation” which is essentially a strategy of social reforms. On the one hand, Muslim
countries should assume the responsibility for internal reforms, avoid extremism and
confrontation and ensure economic and social development, through ensuring respect for
human right and paying special attention to human resource development programmes. The
West particularly the United States on the other hand should seek to resolve all political
disputes that become breeding grounds of terrorism, reject equating Islam with terrorism and
assist the Muslim world in poverty alleviation and socio-economic development.