Pakistan | | Page 3

Published by Seth Oldmixon on March 16, 2017

Pakistan PM’s Misguided Anti-Extremism Strategy

In effort to stem the spread of religious extremism, Pakistan’s Prime Minister, Nawaz Sharif, last week called on religious scholars to emphasize the “true” teachings of Islam, which he defined as peace and harmony. While Prime Minister Sharif’s message and intentions are laudable, his strategy suffers from a critical vulnerability. Religious scholars already believe they…

Published by Seth Oldmixon on March 3, 2017

Illegal rally exposes deep roots of religious extremism in Pakistan

In the wake of recent terrorist attacks, Pakistan has reiterated its vow to eliminate extremist militancy. To this end, the country’s military announced the launch of a new operation dubbed “Radd-ul-Fasaad” (Elimination of Discord), designed to remove the “latent threat of terrorism.” Unfortunately, a recent gathering in the nation’s capital shows that accomplishing the laudable…

Published by Seth Oldmixon on January 11, 2017

Pakistan’s Interior Minister’s Disturbing Remarks on Sectarianism

Thousands of Pakistanis have been killed in terrorist attacks carried out by violent sectarian militant groups. In fact, for over fifteen years, more than one hundred Pakistanis have died at the hands of sectarian militants every year. Pakistan’s sectarian militants carry out both mass-casualty attacks such as November’s bombing at the Shah Noori shrine that…

Published by Seth Oldmixon on December 6, 2016

Masroor’s Mixed Messages

The election of Masroor Jhangvi to the Punjab Assembly (PP-78) has caused concern in Pakistan. Mr. Jhangvi is the son of the late Maulana Haq Nawaz Jhangvi, founder of Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan (SSP), a sectarian terrorist group that was banned in 2002. In recent days, videos have surfaced of Masroor Jhangvi giving sectarian speeches, a fact…

Published by Seth Oldmixon on September 7, 2016

Lal Masjid: A Case Study in Pakistan’s Self-Defeating Counter Extremism Strategy

Pakistan has long been accused of playing a “double game” in Afghanistan – supporting international security efforts while also providing direct support for Taliban militants. But it’s not just in Afghanistan that the Pakistani state’s counter-terrorism policies are causing confusion. At home, too, Pakistan appears to be pursuing a self-defeating strategy towards eliminating terrorist groups….

Published by Seth Oldmixon on March 10, 2016

Bangladesh: Escaping the Shadow of Pakistan

Continue reading at ForeignPolicy.com Photo credit: MUNIR UZ ZAMAN/AFP/Getty Images

Published by Seth Oldmixon on February 5, 2016

India’s Blasphemy Laws

The terrifying effects of Pakistan’s draconian blasphemy laws are well documented. Mere allegations have resulted in mob violence that has destroyed Hindu temples, Christian churches, and taken the lives of the accused. Even fundamentalist Muslims have found themselves entangled in the dangerous and subjective web blasphemy allegations. With this situation playing out so close to…

Published by Seth Oldmixon on November 23, 2015

Jamaat-e-Islami, al Qaeda, and Secularism in South Asia

Last year, al Qaeda called for jihad against the government of Bangladesh, accusing Prime Minister Sheikh Hasina and government of trying to “eliminate every trace of Islam” from the country, and turning Bangladesh into “an Indian outpost.” Al Qaeda called on Islamists to “organize ourselves for a popular and inclusive intifada” to replace Bangladesh’s secular…

Published by Seth Oldmixon on July 29, 2015

Malik Ishaq’s Death And Its Implications For the Pakistani State

Notorious terrorist leader Malik Ishaq was killed on Wednesday in a firefight between Pakistani police and over a dozen Islamist militants. Ishaq was the leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi (LeJ), a militant anti-Shia organization. He has been implicated in dozens of cases and is believed to be responsible for the deaths of hundreds of Shia in Pakistan….