Pakistan and Terrorism

According to Walter Laqueur, Terrorism constitutes the illegitimate use of force to achieve a political objective when innocent people are targeted. The goal of terrorism is to win sympathizers for terrorist's cause, increase their following, and also create fear (terror) to their enemy. Acts of terrorism can be carried out by individuals, groups, or states. While, The War on Terror is the common term for the military, political, legal and ideological conflict against what the effort's leaders describe as Islamic terrorism and Islamic militants.

Today, Pakistan has played a central role in the "war on terrorism". Pakistan is a key front-line ally in the U.S.-led anti-terrorism coalition. But, ironically, Pakistan unable to control growing terrorism. As we know, not all Pakistanis support the war on terrorism. Pakistan is home of many Islamist extremist. The failure of secular governments to promote good governance and economic advancement in Pakistan is the cause of the rise of religious extremism. Another cause was madrassas (Islamic seminary) role in the Pakistani society. In 2002, Pakistan had 10,000-13,000 unregistered madrassas with an estimated 1.7 to 1.9 million students. While, in 2008 estimate puts this figure at "over 40,000" unregistered madrassas. Unfortunately, some analysts says many Pakistani madrassas teach Worldview of Intolerance or radical version of Islam. Madrassas were not providing students with general education that could enable them to come into the mainstream of society and compete with the educated class for employment. Jihadist ideology is the curriculum in many of madrassas. The madrassas' physical education program includes weapons recognition and some military training.

As the result of this condition, there were continual terrorism action in Pakistan, Afghanistan, India and also in USA and Europe. For example, there are Pakistani role in Mumbai terror attack. Although, the Pakistan goverment denied any role in Mumbai terror attack, but in fact, the terrorist was members or trained by Lashkar e Toiba from Pakistan. Lashkar-e-Taiba is dedicated to freeing the Kashmir region and to introduce an Islamic state in South Asia (include India). In the past, Indian goverment have blamed this terrorist group for the 2001 attack on the Indian Parliament building in New Delhi and an August 2007 strike at an amusement park in Hyderabad. Then, one of the London bombers in 2005 was reported to have studied at Pakistani madrassa. According to report issued by United Nations in 2007, More than 80 % of suicide bombers in Afghanistan are recruited and trained in Pakistan.

Pakistan is one of the two countries in the world that recognized the Taliban government. Many Pakistanis are also support Taliban. As we know, over 15,42% of Pakistan people were Pasthun. While, Taliban was dominated by Pashtun people. In Pakistan, they lived at North West Pakistan (Pakistan's tribal area). Thats why, many area in North West Pakistan like Waziristan have fallen in the hands of Taliban. Some religious and conservative leaders of North West Pakistan, provoke more support for Taliban, terrorism and extremism. They call it 'jihad'.

Pakistan needs to eliminate all sectarian, religio-political and ethnic terrorist groups. As we know, Islamist terrorist groups easily recruit illiterate, or madrassa educated, and unemployed Pakistani youth. Thats why, to fight terrorism in Pakistan, the only solution is to institute educational reforms, improve infrastructure and healthcare, increase investment, create opportunities for the youth, transforming Pakistan into a moderate and democratic Muslim nation.

Sources :
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Madrassas_in_Pakistan

http://www.voanews.com/english/archive/2005-07/Many-Pakistani-Madrassas-Teach-World-View-of-Intolerance.cfm CFID=148101620&CFTOKEN=68326920&jsessionid=de301f213542283b996d243a547571672f95

http://www.smh.com.au/news/Wor ld/Suicide-bombers-training-in -Pakistan-UN/2007/09/09/118927 6518780.html