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SECTARIANISM AND RELIGIOUS FANATICISM

Sectarianism:
The term sectarianism is the combination of two words i.e. sect (group) and ism (ideology). Thus
sectarianism means the ideology of a group making it different and distinct from others.
According to Musa Khan Jalālzai, ‘it is the religious intolerance possessed by one religious sect
against others due to its divergent doctrines.’ It is also defined as, ‘it is the exclusive adherence
to a particular view, doctrine or school of thought in such a way as to consider other’s views
absolutely wrong and their followers as infidels. It provides strong support for a particular
religious or political group, especially when this leads to violence between different groups.
Sectarianism in Pakistan: Sectarianism is a major destabilizing factor in the country’s political,
social, religious and security order. During the past few decades it has resulted into thousands of
deaths from suicide attacks, bomb blasts, assassinations and targeted killing. The state actors,
instead of seeking the management and resolution of a conflict, which has divided Muslims on
sectarian grounds, tried to exploit the issue for political objectives.
The population of Shias and Sunni community in Pakistan is roughly 15-20% and 75 to 80 %
respectively. Both the communities lived in peace and harmony until early 1980s when a series
of events triggered sectarian violence. They struggled side by side with the Sunni majority in the
anti-Ahmadi movement of 1974. The intensification of sectarian divide in Pakistan was observed
during late 1970s and early 1980s because of some significant external and internal factors.
These factors are as follow:
Zia’s Islamization:
The process of Islamization, initiated by General Zia ul Haq was greatly resented by the
Shi‘ah community of Pakistan because it had treated all the people of Pakistan under the same
law i.e., Hanfī law. This created a sort of tension between Shi‘ahs and government. The
first meeting of Shi‘ah leaders was held on 12th April 1979 in the town of Bakkar near
Mianwāli in Punjab to protest against the government decision of enforcing Hanafī law in the
country. The protest by Shi‘ahs intensified after the promulgation of Zakat and Ushr Ordinances.
They were of the opinion that Zakat and Ushr principles were different in Shi‘ah fiqh. Under
Shi‘ah fiqh, Zakat was not due on all savings; nor was Ushr due on all crops. Moreover, the
government was not the proper agency of collecting Zakat. They also demanded that
the Hudood Ordinance should be applied on them in accordance with Jafrī fiqh. In July 1980,
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the Shi‘ah community called for a countrywide demonstration by gathering in Islamabad.

The government tried to stop it but failed.
The minister for religious affairs, and Mufti Jafar Hussain, a Shia president of Takhreel-e Nefaz-
e Fiqah Jafria TNFJ, formed in 1979 as reaction to Zia Islamization, jointly signed an
agreement called Islamabad agreement. The agreement proclaims that the Shi‘ahs will be
treated according to their own fiqh. It was due to this Islamization program that the
Shi‘ah felt the need to form a political organization of their own that could safeguard their
interests. When Allama Arif Hussain Al Hussaini, the second president of TNFJ was
assassinated in1988 at Peshawar, of sparked Shia Sunni crisis particularly in Parachinar the home
town of the deceased. After the 1988 polls the movement changed its name to Tehrik-e-Jafaria
Pakistan (TJP) and established itself as a political party and the sole representative of the Shi‘ahs
in Pakistan. The group felt that Tehrik’s focus had shifted from religion to politics.

‘Islamic Revolution’ in Iran:

‘Islamic Revolution’ in Iran affected the internal situation of Pakistan particularly the Shi‘ah-
Sunnī relations. Khomeini expressed that this was an Islamic Revolution and would be
expanded to the neighboring countries. Iran published and circulated literature related to
jihād, merits of the revolution and the teachings of Khomeini in Pakistan through its
established institutions. The high ups of Iran made contacts with the leadership of Shi‘ahs,
showing their religious sympathies towards them. The Shi‘ahs of Pakistan also looked to Iran
for spiritual guidance. They held Khomeini in great esteem. Iran made jihād related movies
to infuse the spirit of jihad among the Shi’as and to raise them against the government.
The messages of Khomeini were communicated to Shi’as through cassettes. The Shi’as of
Pakistan, as a reaction to these changes, held processions and criticized the Sunnīs’ doctrines
and beliefs. After congregation prayers, the Shi‘ahs would gather in circle and raise
slogans like Allah
Akbar, Khomeini Rahber meaning Allah is Great and Khomeini is the guide.

On the other hand, Sunni community was also in action against Shi‘ahs. They targeted
Shi‘ahs in their discussions and meetings. They openly criticized and opposed the Shi‘ahs. The
Sunnin militant organizations such as the Lashkar-e-Taiba, the Siphae Sahaba and the Jash-e-
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Mohammad took violent actions against the Shia community.The ex-head of the SSP, Haq
Nawaz Jhangvi, chanted the slogan Shi‘ah kafir, meaning Shi‘ahs are ‘infidel’. They
distributed stickers of Shi‘ah kafir and Khomeini murdabad (Shi‘ahs are infidels and Khomeini
is dead) among the people, pasted these on walls and buses. Mosques were used as source of
criticizing each other’s’ policies and doctrines rather than the source of providing
religious guidance to the masses. These hostile policies of both sects created sectarian
hatred between them.

Soviet Intervention in Afghanistan:

The Soviet intervention in Afghanistan and the subsequent developments proved to be a
source of bonanza for the politically weak religious parties in Pakistan. Financial and
military help started to flow into Pakistan for the Afghan mujāhidīn (those who fight jihād) from
USA, Saudi Arabia and other anti-Soviet countries. This help of money and weapons
were either channeled through military government or religious groups such as
Jama’at-e-Islamī. Within no time, funds and weapons intended for mujāhidīn started making
their way into the hands of religious groups within Pakistan. This development led to the
emergence of the Kalashnikov culture in Pakistan. The civil war in Afghanistan, after the defeat
of the Soviet Union, added a new dimension to sectarianism in Pakistan. New sanctuaries
and training centres emerged in different parts of Afghanistan. Places like Khost and Kunar
became training centres for Sunnī extremists. Hazarajat area became training centre for Shi’ah
militants of Pakistan. The Shi‘ah militancy received a major setback when Tālibān overran the
Shi‘ah of Hazarajat area. After this development, Afghanistan became a good sanctuary for
Sunnī extremists of Pakistan. During the civil war, after the Russians withdrawal from
Afghanistan, Tālibān were backed by Pakistan while the Northern Alliance was backed by Iran,
India and Russia. When General Pervez Musharraf came into power in October 1999
through a bloodless coup, he also adopted the same policy of supporting Tālibān. Pakistan pro-
Tālibān policy facilitated her in Kashmir. Jihadī camps were established in Afghanistan for
training of mujāhidīn. These mujāhidīn were sent to Indian-held Kashmir to fight the Indian
army for the cause of Kashmiris. However, after the 9/11 incident Pakistan under the US
pressure had to take U-turn on its pro-Taliban policy.
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Fanaticism:
Fanaticism is defined as extreme devotion or zeal. In other words, fanaticism is to follow a set of
rules even to the extent of killing other individuals. Religious Extremism means fighting or
killing those who do not accept one’s point of view regarding religion.
Religious Fanaticism in Pakistan
During the last two decades over 80,000 innocent Pakistanis have become the victims of the dark
and sinister forces of religious fanaticism and the mad irrational race to impose a particular form
of religious dictatorship on the country. The religious sections of the country have become so
intolerant that any person who express his view point as against to their religious notions and
beliefs is not only brutally killed but such assassination is endorsed country-wide. Such
emotionally charged and bigoted people take the law of the country into one hands. The
assassination of Mashal, Salman Taseer and Sri Lankan employee at Sialkot are few examples of
religious fanaticism in Pakistan. The gory drama which displays shameful religious violence and
acts of cruelty inflicted in the name of Islam is another manifestation of religious extremism in
the country. The eruption of violent religious vigilantism in different parts of the country like
Sialkot, Lahore, Faisalabad, Charsadda or Sargodha during the recent past have also resulted in
shameful incidents of total apathy by the onlookers and even scenes of people making videos of
a burning human body and taking selfies to be preserved as war trophies.