The Pakistani Spectator

Despite recent achievements of the Government of Pakistan in eradicating the menace of terrorism from the northern areas of the country, it would be naïve to conclude that the victory over extremism is comprehensive and decisive because there are chances that such elements may regroup themselves to strike back yet again. The main reason for their re-emergence is existence of extremist tendency in the religious schools (Madaris) which are in abundance in Pakistan.
For the last three decades, the Pakistani society has been radicalized by reactionary forces sponsored by the USA-led west and engineered by the late Gen. Zia ul Haq’s rule (1977-1988) against Soviet forces that invaded Afghanistan in 1979. America and its allies wanted to defeat Soviets at all cost and they aptly identified that they needed valorous zealots who could provide shoulder to the modern weaponry supplied by the USA against the Soviet aggressors. Winning the cold war necessitated the ignition of religious feelings amongst the Muslim youth in Afghanistan and Pakistan so that the smouldering fire could continue to get ample supply of human fuel.

The religious schools played an important role in indoctrinating the youth to wage ‘jihad’ against the Soviets. Gen. Zia ul Haq sponsored these seminaries (Madrassahs) by providing them funds and state sponsorship, thus strengthening the clergy. The number of Madaris (plural of Madrassah) multiplied during his rule and rose to more than forty thousands with over two million students. His efforts to Islamize the society yielded results as the citizenry in Pakistan which already have strong affiliation with religion, deemed Zia’s efforts as sincere and emancipating. They conveniently forgot that his efforts were directed towards retrogression of the society. The masses could not unearth the real designs of their ruler who had been dancing to the tunes of USA.Unlike the formal education sector in Pakistan, the Madrassah has always been working on sectarian lines. Since centuries the institution of Madrassah has been part of the Muslim societies but its role in the society remained insignificant as they only used to produce clerics who took over charge of Mosques and new Madaris as teachers or preachers who could lead religious ceremonies. Financially dependent on charity and alms, psychologically the students and graduates of Madaris represented a deprived segment of the society. When the shrewd politicians in the western capitals and their allies in Islamabad decided to use the religious sentiment against the Soviet aggressors, it transformed the role of subdued Madaris and they acquired status of self-proclaimed custodian of the values of the society.

The curricula of most of the Madaris has always been based on medieval teachings of Islam leaving little room to enlighten the students - who usually hail from poor families and are given not only free education but without cost boarding and lodging as well. By extending this ‘favour’ to the students, the Madaris administration considers the student as its own product that can be utilized in any way. In most of the Madaris the orthodox teaching – upbringing the child by molding his personality by keeping him under strict observation all twenty four hours for several years crushes the personality of the student, emotionally and psychologically. Amongst various sects of the Muslims, those who have been adhering to the puritan version of Islam and followed more orthodox interpretation of religion fell easily in the trap set by the rulers who needed jihadists. The sects that preach mystic philosophy and base their beliefs purely on love for the Holy Prophet (Peace Be Upon Him), His family and cronies and who follow the teachings of saints which envisage love for humanity abstained from joining the Jihad. Other orthodox sects known for their ambitious worldview and aggressive outlook started efforts to Islamize the world by force.

After September 11, 2001, the world realized that there was a need to address the problem of bigotry attached with the Madaris in Pakistan as it was breeding extremism. Taliban rule in Kabul gave sanctuary to Al Qaeda which successfully gathered extremists and trained them to carry out violence in various parts of the world in retaliation to USA’s policy towards Palestine and various other Muslim territories. These zealots’ activities were not only injuring the interests of the western countries but by declaring Jihad against the Muslim rulers who sided with the USA after 9/11managed to disturb the peace in many Muslim countries, including Pakistan. The bombings in London, Madrid and various other parts of Europe were linked to these fanatics who, in the name of religion, committed heinous crimes against humanity.

USA and Europe offered help to the Islamabad Government to introduce reforms in Madaris sector but such efforts were resisted by clerics who had never been willing to let their influence wane over an army of obedient fanatic youngsters and unchecked wealth flowing from all directions. Another stakeholder in the issue of controlling the Madaris students, the Pakistani army has used them to strike against India as and when necessary, especially in the occupied areas of Kashmir. Here the independence movement had been alive since 1947 when India occupied the scenic valley and pledged to hold a plebiscite which it never did. Until 2007 the Pakistani army never realized that the extremism could prove fatal for the state itself. The extremists went out of the control of even their own mentors by committing hundreds of suicide bombing which killed hundreds of security personnel.

The world continued to express fears of an extremists take over of the nuclear armed Pakistan but at the beginning of 2009, the Pakistani army launched a full scale operation against the extremists — united under the banner of Tehreek-e-Taliban, (“Movement of Religious Students”), Pakistan, an affiliate of Al-Qaeda who challenged the writ of the Government in the tribal areas of Pakistan. With the change of heart in army’s cadres and more importantly, with changed perception of the masses about the so-called religious jihadists, the issue of Madaris needs to be addressed seriously and this gives an opportunity to the west to act decisively by helping the authorities in Pakistan to introduce reforms in the Madaris sector by ignoring the clerics’ hue and cry. The prevailing mood in the general public is anti-America so any financial help from USA will be taken with a pinch of salt. Here comes the moment when Europe should take a step to provide financial assistance to the Government of Pakistan to start the process of registering and secularizing the Madaris. The Madaris students with their limited worldview fall prey to bigotry, hence their need to have a better exposure to the world affairs should be taken care of by the European States.

Provide annually at least two hundred educational scholarships in European universities to top-performing students from Pakistani Madaris. Coordinate with the federal and the four provincial Governments of Pakistan to arrange a month-long study tours in various European states for at least five hundred Madaris students in a year. Apart from the main intent of initiating change their word view, these steps would yield political pluralism and religious tolerance and promote a healthy competition amongst Madrassah students in the country.