Extremism refers to an ideology that isn’t considered as part of the mainstream attitudes and ways of society. It can be both religious and, otherwise, political. All of these different types of extremisms can, unfortunately, be seen thriving in Pakistan. Counter-extremists tend to try their best to influence audiences with the ‘right’ information in order to help them understand that the extremist arguments they have learned are false.
However, extremists continue to provide messages that the audience will believe, instead. Al Qaeda, one of the world’s most powerful extremist organization, has been successful in making Pakistan seem like the representative of the extremist cause by creating stories the people will want to take in as true statements. With their narratives stating that they want to eradicate the West, wage jihad, self-sacrifice in order to g
...et into heaven, etc., they’ve made a name for themselves worldwide. The recent events regarding the attack on Malala Yousufzai, in October 2012, and the murder of Salmaan Taseer, the Punjab Governor, in January 2014 have been used to promote the idea that al-Qaeda was right. Apart from this, these attacks were used by the extremist organization in order to silence different points of view to theirs.
When Taseer was killed, he was doubted by his assassinator of showing support for a Christian woman who was deemed of spreading blasphemy. This meant that the average Pakistani, when fed this information, showed full support for his killer, Qadri, instead of Taseer himself. While religion seems to be a sensitive topic, it seems that it’s easy to push people into extremism using it. An example of extremism was when Jamaat-e-Islami `started riots specifically against the
Ahmadi community who, in 1974, were declared to be non-Muslims.
This, in turn, created Sunni and Shia divisions which have resulted in violence against and between the two communities. Due to these extremists, the audiences have been brainwashed into seeing events as constant competitions between Islam and the West, both on opposing sides. Apart from this, there has been a level of tolerance created amongst the people of Pakistan for extremism which counter-extremist organizations and individuals are trying to limit. Madrasas tend to hold the culture and respect of the Pakistani community to a high rank which is why instead of completely ending their existence, the government must modernize and moderate them and their curriculums. Extremism, also, exists in society in the form of the blasphemy law, issues in Afghanistan, attacks by drones on different borders, etc. Apart from this, due to wars in other Muslim countries, there is a higher chance of youth becoming encouraged to take part in terrorist activities.
University campuses are regarded as being heavily affected by militancy, as well. The National Action Plan highlights the need for taking terrorism seriously by introducing capital punishment for it, limiting the resources that terrorist organizations receive, and deploying a counter-terrorism force, otherwise known as Zarb-e-Azb. There are certain consequences of extremism, as can be imagined. One of these is that millions of people, worldwide are either, murdered, disabled, widowed, or orphaned as a result of violent extremism. The society is also transformed from being tolerant to being intolerant and exclusionary.
Another impact is that of the psychological distress that such extremism causes. Not only does it cause death, it takes families away from their loved ones.
Husbands and wives are widowed and children, orphaned. People tend to internalize the trauma from living in the terror and violence they’re experiencing on a daily basis.
Apart from this, the economy of the country begins to suffer due to multiple businesses being sealed off and/or discontinued which results in unemployment, poverty, and an increased crime rate in affected areas. Women are left without protection and their mobility limited to their households with most of them widowed. Finally, minorities are often a target of violent religious extremism. They begin to experience a certain level of insecurity when it comes to the intolerance they face every day at the hands of terrorists. This also leaves the future of the country at risk, creating political, economic, and social instability.
In order to keep the little bit of positivity left in Pakistan’s near future, counter-extremists will need to be slow, patient, and continuous in their efforts . The government must have a policy in place in order to protect youth from the extremist groups’ grasp. Some suggestions for improvement can be bettering the quality of the police force all over the country, changing the curriculum and the style of teaching in Madrasas (modernizing and introducing more tolerance), limiting and/or ending corruption, and empowering women through awareness. Trained activists can visit universities, schools, and madrasas to teach children about peace, non-violence, and tolerance. Through these improvements, Pakistan can work towards a progressive, tolerant, and better future.
