Sectarian violence in Pakistan has claimed thousands of lives since the 1980s and remains a serious problem. It has deep roots originating from policies that fostered religious extremism and militancy. Efforts are needed to address the political, economic, and social factors that have promoted intolerance and enabled militant groups to indoctrinate youth. Long-term strategies are required to strengthen cultural heritage, promote dialogue between religious communities, and reverse hate-based teachings through education and an inclusive political system.
MPhil thesis on sectarian relations in Pakistan, shows impact on the wider region Middle East, India and Afghanistan on Pakistan. Intensive use of identity and Nationalism theory as dissertation was done in politics but had input from history,anthropology, religious studies and sociology. London Metropolitan University. 2012.
Presentation prepared for a series of lectures on Fundamentalism for PS 240 introduction to Political Theory at the University of Kentucky, Spring 2007. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Instructor.
[Dr. Verma] Paper: Religious Ethics and Interfaith UnderstandingGlobalPeaceFoundation
Date: Dec. 5th 2013
Session: Creating Unity in Diversity in Asia: Including Others in Our Sphere of Moral Obligation
Speaker: Dr. M.M. Verma: President, Interfaith Foundation, India
While terrorism continues to make headlines around the world, some researchers have suggested that terrorists are mentally ill and have used labels such as psychopathic or sociopathic, narcissistic, paranoid and schizophrenic. Others have argued that there is no evidence to indicate that they are mentally ill, disordered, psychopathic or otherwise psychologically abnormal.
The Royal's Dr. AG Ahmed, Dr. Wadgy Loza and Dr. Pius Adesanmi discuss research findings and reflect on the new meanings and manifestations of terrorism and extremism in Canada and around the world.
Pakistan needs irreligious govt executives and educationWaliImranKhalil
Pakistan needs irreligious Government Executives and Education, only then the democratic will of the people of Pakistan can be realized.
Executive Branch in the Government of Pakistan means all Federal and Provincial Officers, Judiciary, Bureaucrats, teachers, and Professors.
The Sectarian Political system.Towards Eradicating Confessional Tensions.Engl...PACE LEBANON
Executive Summary
Lebanese citizens are bound socially, economically, politically and personally to a sectarian system that perpetuates itself in continuous cycles of violence and subjugation. In its preamble, the Lebanese Constitution states that “Lebanon is a democratic, parliamentary republic founded on respect for public liberties, the foremost of which are freedom of opinion and belief, and on social justice and equality in rights and in duties for all citizens without discrimination or distinction.” Yet existing government policies and practices do not reflect the principles of justice, fairness, and equality.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) play an essential role in promoting citizenship and democratic values, and should deploy efforts to free citizens from the binds of religious sects as a first step to eradicating confessionalism and reducing sectarian tensions.
With the 2013 parliamentary elections approaching, there is a golden opportunity for civil society to pressure Members of Parliament (MPs) for electoral law reform and better political representation. Advocates of a civil status law also have an opportunity to capitalize on a 2009 Ministerial Decree that allows citizens to remove reference to their sect in personal records. Moreover, civil society should strengthen its demands for citizenship education and a unified history book, especially since the Ministry of Education is currently in the process of reforming civic education in public schools.
This brief proposes three mutually reinforcing policy areas promoting a non-confessional proportional electoral system, a civil status law, and a civic education curriculum.
In light of the above, this policy proposal aspires to:
Ensure free, fair, and non-sectarian political representation that promotes citizen rights;
Reshape citizen-state relationships through civil status reform; and
Promote citizenship values and social cohesion through education reform and adoption of a unified history book.
These interrelated steps will help overcome sectarian tensions and advance efforts to replace the confessional system with a just, democratic, and civic system.
Adoption and implementation of these policies requires a long-term process that involves new, innovative strategies at the local and national levels aimed at linking the suggested reforms to the legitimacy and stability of the Lebanese democratic system. CSOs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should work on multiple fronts to raise awareness of these issues, pilot actions with a maximum number of citizens, and support government in implementing reforms.
1.2 LMG Conference Presentation Dr Odondi, MOPHS and Dr. Kimani, MOMS 29Jan13HSM-Kenya
Presentation at the First National Conference on Health Leadership, Management and Governance.
Session on Professionalizing LMG: Progress since 2008 & Plans for the Future
MPhil thesis on sectarian relations in Pakistan, shows impact on the wider region Middle East, India and Afghanistan on Pakistan. Intensive use of identity and Nationalism theory as dissertation was done in politics but had input from history,anthropology, religious studies and sociology. London Metropolitan University. 2012.
Presentation prepared for a series of lectures on Fundamentalism for PS 240 introduction to Political Theory at the University of Kentucky, Spring 2007. Dr. Christopher S. Rice, Instructor.
[Dr. Verma] Paper: Religious Ethics and Interfaith UnderstandingGlobalPeaceFoundation
Date: Dec. 5th 2013
Session: Creating Unity in Diversity in Asia: Including Others in Our Sphere of Moral Obligation
Speaker: Dr. M.M. Verma: President, Interfaith Foundation, India
While terrorism continues to make headlines around the world, some researchers have suggested that terrorists are mentally ill and have used labels such as psychopathic or sociopathic, narcissistic, paranoid and schizophrenic. Others have argued that there is no evidence to indicate that they are mentally ill, disordered, psychopathic or otherwise psychologically abnormal.
The Royal's Dr. AG Ahmed, Dr. Wadgy Loza and Dr. Pius Adesanmi discuss research findings and reflect on the new meanings and manifestations of terrorism and extremism in Canada and around the world.
Pakistan needs irreligious govt executives and educationWaliImranKhalil
Pakistan needs irreligious Government Executives and Education, only then the democratic will of the people of Pakistan can be realized.
Executive Branch in the Government of Pakistan means all Federal and Provincial Officers, Judiciary, Bureaucrats, teachers, and Professors.
The Sectarian Political system.Towards Eradicating Confessional Tensions.Engl...PACE LEBANON
Executive Summary
Lebanese citizens are bound socially, economically, politically and personally to a sectarian system that perpetuates itself in continuous cycles of violence and subjugation. In its preamble, the Lebanese Constitution states that “Lebanon is a democratic, parliamentary republic founded on respect for public liberties, the foremost of which are freedom of opinion and belief, and on social justice and equality in rights and in duties for all citizens without discrimination or distinction.” Yet existing government policies and practices do not reflect the principles of justice, fairness, and equality.
Civil society organizations (CSOs) play an essential role in promoting citizenship and democratic values, and should deploy efforts to free citizens from the binds of religious sects as a first step to eradicating confessionalism and reducing sectarian tensions.
With the 2013 parliamentary elections approaching, there is a golden opportunity for civil society to pressure Members of Parliament (MPs) for electoral law reform and better political representation. Advocates of a civil status law also have an opportunity to capitalize on a 2009 Ministerial Decree that allows citizens to remove reference to their sect in personal records. Moreover, civil society should strengthen its demands for citizenship education and a unified history book, especially since the Ministry of Education is currently in the process of reforming civic education in public schools.
This brief proposes three mutually reinforcing policy areas promoting a non-confessional proportional electoral system, a civil status law, and a civic education curriculum.
In light of the above, this policy proposal aspires to:
Ensure free, fair, and non-sectarian political representation that promotes citizen rights;
Reshape citizen-state relationships through civil status reform; and
Promote citizenship values and social cohesion through education reform and adoption of a unified history book.
These interrelated steps will help overcome sectarian tensions and advance efforts to replace the confessional system with a just, democratic, and civic system.
Adoption and implementation of these policies requires a long-term process that involves new, innovative strategies at the local and national levels aimed at linking the suggested reforms to the legitimacy and stability of the Lebanese democratic system. CSOs and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) should work on multiple fronts to raise awareness of these issues, pilot actions with a maximum number of citizens, and support government in implementing reforms.
1.2 LMG Conference Presentation Dr Odondi, MOPHS and Dr. Kimani, MOMS 29Jan13HSM-Kenya
Presentation at the First National Conference on Health Leadership, Management and Governance.
Session on Professionalizing LMG: Progress since 2008 & Plans for the Future
Kenya: Improving democracy in spite of political rhetoricAfrobarometer
Democratic preferences: A majority of Kenyans prefer democratic, accountable governance in which:
Leaders are elected in free and fair elections.
Political parties compete in an open field.
The president is accountable to the people and Parliament.
Visit www.afrobarometer.org for more publications.
This presentation is available here: http://afrobarometer.org/media-briefings/kenya-improving-democracy-spite-political-rhetoric
Reginald M.J. Oduor (Nairobi, Kenya): Identity Politics in the Twenty-first C...Thomas Huebel
Reginald M.J. Oduor (Nairobi, Kenia):
Identity Politics in the Twenty-first Century: A Kenyan Perspective
Audiofile of the lecture (IWK, Vienna, 5.2.2014)
https://audiothek.philo.at/media/reginald-mj-oduor-nairobi-kenia-identity-politics-
Over the past four decades, ethnic and religious minorities, organisations of persons with disabilities, and feminist organisations among others have contributed significantly to the growth of identity politics, that is, competition for state power among interest groups. Nevertheless, many centralist regimes continue to suppress this mode of political expression through a »nationalist« discourse.
This paper examines identity politics in the twenty-first century, with special reference to the Kenyan experience. It observes that the dominant variety of identity politics in Kenya is ethnically-based, with more than forty-two ethnic groups competing for state power. Consequently, Kenya is a multi-ethnic state forcefully created by colonialism rather than a nation-state formed by a largely homogenous cultural group. Yet the dominant public political discourse continues to refer to the country as a »nation« or even a »nation-state«. Furthermore, although the Constitution of Kenya promulgated in 2010 to some extent acknowledges the right of ethnic groups to pursue their aspirations within the Kenyan polity, the elites of dominant ethnic groups continue to publicly castigate the articulation of ethnic interests while simultaneously executing political strategies based on those same interests.
The central argument of the paper is that for most of Kenya’s fifty years of political independence, the suppression of ethnically-based politics among the non-dominant ethnic groups has significantly contributed to socio-political instability in the country. Consequently, it proposes that Kenya’s long-term political stability is dependent on a shift from liberal democracy with its focus on the atomic individual to a mode of democracy that takes cognisance of the ethnic loyalties of the bulk of the country’s population.
Reginald M.J. Oduor: is Lecturer in Philosophy, Department of Philosophy and Religious Studies, University of Nairobi. Latest Publication: »Ethnic Minorities in Kenya’s Emerging Democracy: Philosophical Foundations of their Liberties and Limits«, Lambert Academic Publishing, Saarbrücken 2012.
TERRORISM IN PAKISTAN, ITS CAUESES, IMPACTS & REMEDIESHasnaın Sheıkh
Name; Hasnain Nawaz
Surname : Shaikh
ROLL NO: 16 CH 42
B.E: Chemical Engineering (In Progress).
Mehran University of Engineering and Technology
Jamshore, ISO 9001 Certified.
Communal riots are an indicator of socio-cultural difference existing between the communities
An event is identified as a communal riot if:
1) There is a violence.
2) Two or more communally different groups confront each other or members of the group at some point during the violence.
This report has focused on certain minority communities, such as the Christian, Hindu and Ahmadi communities, because they are the most visible and most targeted communities for discrimination and violence. However, we recognise all minority communities in Pakistan as sovereign citizens of the state who deserve equality, justice and dignity.
My research indicates that minorities identify strongly with a Pakistani national identity, even as they are persecuted on the basis of their religious identity. Minorities who have a historical connection to this land and have been contributing members of society are now being targeted for their beliefs. Alongside, Pakistan needs to address and take measures to rectify the wide spread prejudice and intolerance within the government, the judiciary, law enforcement, the media, as well as society at large. Ultimately and fundamentally, transition from Pakistan’s currently institutionalised “two-tiered” citizenship, i.e., Muslim and non-Muslim, into one that ensures equality of all citizens and the plurality that was envisioned by Mohammad Ali Jinnah should be supported.
Political violence and extermism in Pakistan. Political violence in different regions of Pakistan like panjab, balochistan, kp, Gilgit baltistan, Sindh
Judiciary
Financially Strangled
Despite the crying need for speeding up and modernising the grossly inefficient delivery system,
a huge chunk of the meagre funds allotted in the budget remains unused
Running Head RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE ! 1Religious Violence .docxtodd581
Running Head: RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE ! 1
Religious Violence
Brea P. Sylvester
GEN499: General Education Capstone
Professor Kassandra Bahr
21 September 2019
Brea Sylvester
Brea Sylvester
Brea Sylvester
Brea Sylvester
RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE ! 2
Introduction
The persistent spread of extremist violence throughout the world is a considerable alarm
and concern today. This is mainly because the violence is mostly connected with religion. For
instance, the mass shootings in Orlando, Florida, which targeted people of a particular sexual
orientation was associated with religious sentiments. The shots caused 49 deaths and 53 injuries,
the worst mass shooting in the US. It has also been observed that religiously motivated violence
by Muslims and Boko Haram have affected both Christians and Muslims in West African
countries. As such, religiously motivated violence has been a common feature in the past
histories and also current realities in significant religions such as Islam, Hinduism, Judaism,
Buddhism, Christianity, as well as other minor religions. The violence takes many different
forms such as weapons, hate speech, or other kinds of violence attacks (Basedau, Pfeiffer &
Vüllers, 2014). Religion has also been associated with hatred, seizures, and oppression against
specific communities or groups of people. As such, it is essential to explore this topic in-depth to
unearth the history of religious conflict and violence since there is no much research which has
provided a proper account of such conflicts. This paper will add to the available research on
religiously-motivated violence, by exploring causes and origin religious conflict and violence, its
impacts, as well as the way forward for peace to prevail.
Background information on religiously motivated violence in the world.
There has been a tremendous rise in religion-based violence in the past decades. Among
the instances in history is the jihad and authority struggle between the Shia and Sunni Islam from
the Middle East. There has also been persecution of Rohingya in Myanmar as well as the wars
RELIGIOUS VIOLENCE ! 3
between Muslims and Christians in Africa. A study carried out recently shows that there has been
an increased occurrence of religious-based violence related to harassing women, especially for
violation of their religious beliefs and practices (Selengut, 2017).
It is essential to realize that religious-based hostilities affect all religions in the world.
There has been increased killings and other kinds of violence across the globe as a result of the
religious hostilities even in nations that are not directly affected by the religious wars. For
instance, massive killings have been rampant in minor countries such as Iraq, Nigeria, Syria,
Bangladesh, India, and Pakistan, among others. Wars between Islam and Jewish religions have
also risen in Europe. Additionally, the Hindu religion is threatened by other.
[Ambassador Hassan] Speech: Presentation by Ambassador S. Azmat Hassan (Ret.)...GlobalPeaceFoundation
Date: Dec. 6th 2013
Session: Interfaith Partnerships: Faith and Diversity: Toward a Global Ethic for Inclusive and Moderate Societies
Speaker: Ambassador S. Azmat Hassan; Former Pakistani Ambassador to Malaysia, Syria and Morrocco, Islamic Republic of Pakistan
1. SECTARIAN VIOLENCE & RELIGIOUS EXTREMISM IN PAKISTAN
1. INTRODUCTION:
“Communalism, religious intolerance and the sectarian violence are scourge of any society and repugnant to the teachings of Islam. The word Islam
means peace and harmony and forbids bigotry and religious fanaticism. It teaches generosity and tolerance even to the followers of the other
religions.”
The PM, Shaukat Aziz, is also right in pointing out that a two-pronged strategy – preventive as well as curative is required to control both the
manifestation and root causes of sectarian conflict, which has claimed the lives of thousands of Pakistanis since the 1980s. The toll in 2005 alone
was over 200 dead and 400 wounded. Earlier this month, Shi’it cleric Allama Hasan Turabi was assassina ted in Karachi while nearly 40 Ashura-day
mourners were killed in a bomb blast and related violence in Hangu in February 2006. The sectarian scourge, in its current fo rm, is clearly deep-rooted
and cannot be eliminated easily. It has its origins in the jihadist militancy fostered by Gen Zia ul Haq and subsequently fanned by misguided
adventurers and religious bigots. The situation as it now stands is that an entire generation has been poisoned by the preachers of hate.
In the words of Syed Mohammad Ali in his article “Pakistan’s sectarian problems”,
“Vested interests, misplaced policies and discriminatory laws have drastically reduced the scope for a religiously tolerant s tate and society in
Pakistan. Hate ideologies have damaged our valuable cultural and intellectual heritage. While challenging institutionalised sectarianism is certainly
not easy, strengthening the common cultural heritage of Pakistani people offers a less-confrontational way to reverse hate-based indoctrination.”
2. Dr Hasan Askari Rizvi writes in an article “Religious extremism and violence”,
“The government cannot contain religious extremism and violence by simply issuing executive orders. It requires a comprehensive approach that
entails monitoring supporters of the militant groups in the civil and military administration, curtailing societal sources of support, and strict action
against the hard-core militant elements that use violence. The government must adopt measures to address socio-economic inequities which have
increased during the last six years.”
3. Kamila Hyat writes,
“The fact of the matter is that a problem which has taken root over two decades or so may take at least as long to eradicate. After all, numerous
studies have shown that prejudice of all kinds is an insidious social phenomenon, which can take generations to wipe out. It is, however, essential
that the effort to tackle sectarianism begin immediately. This effort must be underpinned with far greater commitment and a longer-term strategy
than has so far been the case. Mere cosmetic measures, revolving around policing militancy by locking up dozens in jails for weeks, or deploying
security forces in an effort to keep vigilance over every street corner, is neither feasible nor wise.”
4. FACTORS FOR THE RISE OF SECTARIANISM IN PAKISTAN:
1) Religious Intolerance:
2) Political factors:
3) Economic factors:
4) Indian Interference:
5. EFFECTS OF SECTARIAN VIOLENCE:
1) Social disorder:
2) The politicisation of religion:
3) Impact on religious activities:
4) Law & order situation:
5) Political instability:
6) Widens Antagonism among different sects:
7) Impact on economy:
6. SCENARIO IN PAKISTAN:
Repetitive negative depictions of Pakistan are fuelled largely by the many conflicts that plague our country. Besides lingering tensions with India and
the discontent among provinces, sectarian violence continues to blemish our national image.
While the extent of sectarian violence is not large in terms of the casualties caused by it, the problem has led to a very pe rturbing fragmentation of
the society. There is a range of sects and sub-sects embroiled in sectarian violence. Understanding sectarianism requires digging much deeper than
just looking at the immediate reasons for a particular incident.
1) The politicisation of religion is a major reason for sectarian aspirations taking root in Pakistan. The conflict between sectarian groups is not
merely ideological; often it is impelled by the desire to obtain political power. The evident patronage of the clergy by various governments has
steadily raised their public profile and influence, culminating in the current setup, in a meteoric rise of religious parties. But the responsibility for
helping religious parties into political power does not lie with the Pakistani state alone. During the 1980s many influential players, including the US
and some Middle Eastern governments, lent support for the militarisation of religious identities for a proactive role in the Afghan jihad. The decision
to use right-wing religious parties to pursue geo-strategic goals first in Afghanistan, and then in Kashmir, led to further politicisation on the basis of
religion.
2) The International Crisis Group (ICG) blames the sectarian conflict squarely on the state policies of Islamisation and the marginalisation of secular
democratic forces. Several governments in Pakistan are criticised for co-opting the religious right and continuing to rely on it to counter civilian
opposition rather than empowering the people. The ICG holds the state responsible for patronising particular religious leaders who used religion as a
means to create political distraction. Their pulpits were never used to highlight people’s rights and development issues. Moreover, it is pointed out
that laws like the Hudood Ordinance created operational bias against women. The problems were compounded by enforcement of the Islamic law of
evidence in 1984 that excluded women’s testimony in cases of Hadd crimes and halved the value of their evidence in civil matters. Non-Muslims
were not even allowed to give evidence. There have been numerous cases of people being victimised under these laws.
3) Peripheral theological debates provide the basis for volatile divisions in the hands of those seeking power over people. P ress reports indicate that
sectarian zealots kill around 200 people a year across the country. Analysts have pointed out that over the years sectarian violence has spread from
the more traditional rural arenas to major urban areas. The pattern of targeting high-profile opponents has expanded to include public places —
even mosques — and religious gatherings. Even judges presiding over cases of sectarian militancy in anti-terrorist courts are frequently forced to
hold trials in jails.
4) Yet because of the political utility of religious leaders, the recently announced law requiring registration of seminaries seems to have been
sidelined. Whether the Hudood laws will finally be repealed also remains to be seen. There is an evident need for government to start taking
measures that reflect the country’s religious diversity. Besides removing all forms of religious discrimination, there is need for invoking
constitutional restrictions against private armies. Hate speech needs to be curbed to avoid extremist violence. One of the suggestions put forth in
this regard is to provide constitutional and political rights to the Federally Administered Tribal Areas and the northern areas by finally deciding their
constitutional and legal status and linking up courts in these areas to Pakistan’s mainstream judicial inst itutions. The tribal lashkars need to be
outlawed.
5) Human rights organisations and legal experts continue to demands such measures. There has been a lot of loud and vocal cri ticism of
discriminatory laws and some efforts have been made to help victims of these repressive laws — particularly minorities and women. The Human
Rights Commission for Pakistan, a notable stalwart in this regard, has been recommending that instead of merely changing procedures, all laws that
sanction discrimination against minorities and women should be repealed outright.
6) An unfortunate combination of vested interests, misplaced policies and discriminatory laws has drastically reduced the sco pe for a religiously
tolerant state and society in Pakistan. Hate ideologies have damaged our valuable cultural and intellectual heritage. While challenging
institutionalised sectarianism is certainly not easy, strengthening the common cultural heritage of Pakistani people offers a less-confrontational way
to reverse hate-based indoctrination.
2. 7) Some civil society organisations have begun working on conflict resolution. There are already a small number of peace activists in Pakistan. More
poets, writers, artists, journalists, lawyers and young volunteers need to lend support to this movement. To diffuse tensions between different
religious groups civil society groups can facilitate dialogue or support moves to remove discriminatory practices exacerbating the sectarian rifts. In
addition to promoting interventions to narrow the sectarian fragmentation, more research is needed on the religious and cultural communities of
Pakistan. Debates in the mainstream media to highlight our common intellectual heritage would also be useful.
7. CONCLUDING REMARKS:
The compulsions fuelling religious conflicts are certainly complex. They have multiple negative implications as well. Nonetheless, this is not a
problem that will go away on own its own. It needs to be actively addressed if Pakistan is ever to become an enlightened and moderate state.
In Hasan Askari’s words, “The government must adopt measures to address socio-economic inequities which have increased during the last six
years. Unless poverty and underdevelopment are addressed effectively, ideological appeals and militancy will continue to attract the alienated
youth. The government must also open up the political system to mainstream and liberal political forces so that they can help inculcate moderate
and tolerant values among the people. Internal harmony and cultural and political tolerance cannot be promoted without establishing an equitable
socio-economic system and a participatory political process.”