Who Is Responsible For Violence In Pakistan

Youth violence in Pakistan Who is right & who is wrong?

Overview               

The history of Pakistan Discrimination: the case of violence The history of Pakistan The Madrassas System The number of Madrassas The major conflict Israel and Islam: History Christianity and Islam: Crusade Islamic worldview of Jihad Terrorism vs. Jihad Islamic brotherhood The affects of Islamic teaching on education Male dominated culture Christian Teaching: Love Conclusion

The History of Pakistan 

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Pakistan came into being on August 14, 1947, after the partition of the sub-continent of India, which was under British Rule due to the political struggle of various political leaders. The country was founded on the principle of Islam, therefore the constitutions says “The Islamic republic of Pakistan.” Islam is the official state religion, Islamic Sahriah law is being enforced as the supreme law of the Land; therefore, the judicial, legislative and executive branches are working under the Shariah law. All of Pakistan’s laws are being modified and reframed according to the injunctions of the Quran, which is the Holy Book of Muslims. The present constitution, political system and government are undemocratic.

Discrimination: the case of violence 

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An Islamic theocracy is prevailing in Pakistan today. Under this system, the non-Muslims in Pakistan have neither equal political, socio-economical status, nor equal access to available opportunities in order that they might play a leading role in the national set-up. In Pakistan, the most outcast people are Christians. Since there are no Jews, the Muslims target Christians. 97 percent of the population is Muslim and 3 percent are minorities including Christians and Hindus. Under the penal code, desecration of the Koran is punishable by life imprisonment. Any insult to the Prophet Muhammad is punishable by death.

Blasphemy laws and Violence 

Churches and Christian towns are burnt in name of blasphemy laws.

Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan 

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A militant Islamist organization and the largest sectarian outfit in the country. The prime targets are the Shi’a community and Iranian interests in Pakistan. SSP was formed on September 6, 1985 with the core mission of targeting Shi’as, whom the group believes are non-Muslims. The Pakistani authorities are well aware that the SSP has received considerable financial and logistical assistance from Saudi intelligence. The SSP has considerable influence on various political parties. Jamaat-Islami and the Jamaat-Ulema-e-Islam are now main political parties associate with SSP.

Other Militant Islamist Organizations in Pakistan    

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Sipah-e-Muhamammad Pakistan, is a militant Shi’a organization Tehrik-Nifqh-e-Jafaria is a main Shi’a politicoreligious party. Apart from attacking each other they are involve din world terrorism. The Shi’a Sunni conflict in Pakistan predates the emergence of SSP, there has been a major escalation in sectarian violence since the antiShi’a riots in Lahore of 1986. The SSP is also a byproduct of the Zia ul-Haw (a dictator) regime, which tried to create an Islamist counter to pro-democracy forces in the country.

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After assuming power, Zia ul-Haq encouraged the formation of the Militant organizations against non-Muslim in order to scuttle the influence of the people’s Party and Zulfikar Ali Bhutto, who was a Shi’a president of the Pakistan. Most of the bomb and grenade attacks in Pakistan are believed to have been carried out by sectarian or al Qaeda linked militants. Madrasas run by banned sectarian and jihadi groups operate freely countrywide and continue to provide foot soldiers to radical Islamist organizations, for the jihads in Afghanistan and Kashmir and to al-Qaeda linked terror groups.

The Madrassas System 

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In the 1980s, the madrassas urged their students to go fight the Soviet infidels in Afghanistan. In 1997, Mr. al-Haq the president of Pakistan closed Haqqania a well known madrassa for a while to send the madrassa's students to help the Taliban take control of Afghanistan from the warlords who were destroying the country. The traditions of Islam talks about Madrassas System. radical madrassas operate in many corners of the globe

Americans should know three things about the madrassas in Pakistan—they are free, effective, and many espouse radical Islamic ideology. Poverty prevents many Pakistanis from purchasing materials—books, for example—needed to attend public schools. The allure of a free education therefore is potent.

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One of the biggest Islamic university survives on the generosity of benefactors, including alumni, Saudis, and other Arabs in the Persian Gulf region. Its willingness to take students who cannot pay for their education -- Haqqania does not charge for food, housing, or tuition -- has great appeal

The number of Madrassas 

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The religious proliferation in Pakistan can easily be illustrated by the number of established religious institutions. In the 1950s, besides a few Shi'a madrasas there were 137 traditional Sunni madrasas in Pakistan. By 1971 there were close to 900 madrasas with about 3000 teachers and more than 30,000 regular students. The Afghan war boosted religious motivation to prevent the flood of communism and the number of religious institutions in Pakistan increased to 45,000.85 According to one report, more than 17,500 madrasas are said to have a pronounced sectarian orientation while 1500 are imparting military training

The major conflict  

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Much of the conflict in the Middle East centers around conflicts between Israel and the Arab world. Most of the people groups discussed in Genesis no longer exist. The two who were promised numerous descendents (Ishmael and Isaac) have numerous people who claim that ancestry even today. The two groups who claim descent from Abraham are still fighting for control of the land God gave Abraham.

Israel and Islam: History 

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Islam is the fastest growing religion and the second largest religion in the world. the second largest religion in the world. Among every four humans in the world, one of them is Muslim. Muslims have increased by over 235 percent in the last fifty years up to nearly 1.6 billion. By comparison, Christians have increased by only 47 percent, Hinduism, 117 percent, and Buddhism by 63 percent. Islam is the second largest religious group in France, Great Britain and USA (Muslims in USA are 10 millions and Jews are 6 millions).

World population trends

Brief History of Isreal        

Israel Conquered by Babylonians, Persians, Greeks, Romans (Wars in 70, 132-135). In the 4th Century, part of the Byzantine Empire In 7th Century, captured by Muslims. 1099 First Crusade recaptures Second Crusade in 1145 fails to extend

Christianity and Islam: Crusades           

The main reason of enmity of Muslim and Christian is the series of crusades against Islam. Muslim associate Christianity with Judaism. Muslim consider west as Christian and East as Muslim, this division is also causes conflicts. 1187 Crusaders lose Jerusalem 1192 Third Crusade fails 1202 4th Crusade against E. Orthodox 1212 “Children’s Crusade” 1229 6th Crusade (peacefully) regains Jerusalem (temporarily) 1244 Muslims recapture Jerusalem 1517 Ottoman Turks assume power

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1917 British control Palestine after WWI 1947 UN Resolution for partition of Israel (Many Orthodox Jews oppose believing the restoration should wait for Messiah.) 1948 Israeli troops conquer modern Israel 1967 Six Day War extends Israel’s control to include West Bank and Gaza Strip.

Islamic worldview of Jihad       

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Jihad is the one of the five pillars of Islam. Every Muslim is commanded to fight for the sake of Islam. Modern extreme Islamic groups have taken the concept of Jihad way too different. Now it is the commanded by “mullahs” the religious heads to kill every one who is not from the same Muslim sect. It is all about power and authority. The recent incident of Lal Masjid in Pakistan where. The new generation of Muslims is brain washed. They are taught and raised into an ignorant mindset that does not consider differing opinions, but are instead indoctrinated to react violently to any different belief systems. Several other factors like poverty, hunger, hatred, and illiteracy contribute to terrorist activities which according to Muslim it is their right to fight for what they do not have.

Terrorism vs. Jihad 

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Terrorism means violence, intimidate, terror campaign. Different cultures and people define terrorism in different way. According to West what Muslim s are doing is terrorism and according to Muslims what West is doing is terrorism. To Muslim it is Jihad, a commandment from Allah to fight for Islam and it is their duty to fulfill the commandment. Many Islamic student union were established in the name of Allah to discipline student through Qur’an, in other words to train them for violence, suicide bombing , fighting against authorities and principalities of country. The President of Pakistan admitted this fact that the meaning of Jihad as it is commanded by Qur’an has been taken in a wrong direction, and he allied with the USA, has been trying to get rid of these extreme terrorist organizations.

Islamic brotherhood 

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When Muhammad started his ministry, he called all Muslims brothers and Qur’an says “you are a brother to each other,” Therefore, all Muslim are brothers. Regardless of their racial, ethnic, and national differences they consider each other brothers. When America attacks on any Islamic country the Muslim of Pakistan kill Christians in Pakistan, they burn the churches and Christian town to take revenge of what America does with their Islamic brothers. In Afghan wand Iran war, many Pakistani went to Afghanistan and Iraq to fight for their brothers with the passion of brotherhood. Muslim have a big misconception that America and England are the head of Christianity just as Saudi Arabia is head of Islam. The Afghan war from the time of Soviet Union pushed two million Afghan refugees into Pakistan, and many of them, in dire poverty, have put their sons in the care of the less selective madrassas.

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Since the settlement of Afghan refugees in Pakistan, many madrassas have been started to train students for worldly knowledge as well as Qur’anic knowledge which include the concept of Jihad. Many terrorist organization's leaders are the product of these madrassas.

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The U.S. State Department’s 2006 Country Report on Terrorism has called Pakistan “a major source of Islamic extremism and a safe haven for top terrorist leaders”.

The affects of Islamic teaching on education 

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Qur’an certainly teaches about the importance of education, matter in the fact Islam is more strict than any other religion regarding literacy. In Islam the authority of a teacher is more higher than parents. But the teachings of Que’an bring every one under a judgment (legalism), where Islam encourage worldly knowledge it discourage to practice the modern ways of the world. The strict teaching of “Sunah” the traditions of Muhammad, has been taken over reactively, which has produced a sense of intensive violence in order to retain the purity of religion to pass on to next generation. Schools in Pakistan are forced to use Islamic material in their curriculum.

Male-dominated culture  

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Pakistan is a male dominated culture which belittle or condone violence against girls and women. Violence is used as a tool for imposing male power. Girls themselves often regard violence as inevitable and feel powerless to complain. Violence against girls are many and complex. They relate to deeply embedded structural inequalities and dominant ideologies that perpetuate beliefs and attitudes that discriminated against girls and women. Violence against girls manifest its effects in low enrolment of girls in schools, poor performance at school, high dropout rates, teenage pregnancy early marriage. Violence or the fear of violence is an important reason for girls not attending school, besides being in itself an infringement of girls’ rights, violence is also denying girls their right to education. Violence against girls takes many forms including rape, sexual harassment, intimidation teasing and threats. It affects all girls, regardless of age, race, class, caste or location. Poverty, war and long journeys to school put girls at additional risk.

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Girls are also very vulnerable when they have to walk long distances to school, particularly in rural and poor urban areas. In Pakistan, girls in secondary school become more vulnerable because secondary schools are few and situated far from villages. In Pakistan , government has intervened at primary school level by establishing separate schools for girls, with female teachers, “to overcome families reservations.” In Pakistan sexual violence against girls is a norm. Girls seemed to accept violence inflicted on them through schools and on the way to schools as an extension of what hey face with their families, therefore nothing to complain about. In Pakistan the peak age for sexual violence against girls was between twelve and eighteen.

Christian Teaching: Love 

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Since Islam once ruled over most of the world, and still is the most rapid growing religion in world, they strongly believe that one day they will restore their Islamic empire. They will hate every power that stands in the way of their destiny or dream to rule over the world. Christ said “Whoever slaps you on your right cheek, turn to him the other also.” In John Chapter 17, when Christ was praying to His father His main focus was on love. Christ showed us His love through His secrifice. The greatest commendment is this that Love your God and love your neighbour. Christianity based on love.

Conclusion        

Hatred produces hatred and love produces love. The love of Christ is more stronger then any weapon. The word of God is sharper than any double edge sword. Forgiveness is greater than revenge. Christ forgave those who crucified Him. If some one relies on God, and let Him take care of everything then He is able to deliver from death even. In the light of the Word of God we know that God is sovereign and He rules. To reduce all kinds of violence, there is huge need of good education institutions. The international community should intervene and force Pakistani Government to change the blasphemy law. Also, all kind of extreme Islamic organizations should be abandoned and Madrassas should be replaced with good education centers.

References 

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 Shah, M. (2007,July 30). Fighting escalates in Pakistan's tribal region. [On-Line]. Available: HTTP://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2007/07/31/asia/AS-GENPakistan-Militant-Attacks.php. Unicef Pakistan (2005, May 24). UNICEF supports calls for an end of violence against children in Pakistan. [On-Line]. Available: HTTP://www.unicef.org/infobycountry/pakistan_27135.html.   AlertNet (2007, July 11). CRONOLOGY-Major incidents of violence in Pakistan. [On-Line]. Available: HTTP://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/B80845.html.

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  Roul, A. (2005, January 27). Sipah-e-Sahaba: Fomenting Sectarian Violence in Pakistan. [On-Line]. Available: http:// jamestown.org/terrorism/news/article.php?articleid =2369166. Masood, S. (2005, December 11). Blasphemy laws fuel violence in Pakistan. [On-Line]. Available: HTTP://www.iht.com/articles/2005/12/11/news/pakistan.php.   International Crisis Group (2007, August 18). Testimony on Madrasas and U.S. Aid to Pakistan. [On-Line]. Available: HTTP://www.crisisgroup.org/home/index.cfm?id=4827&l=1. Blanchard C. M. (2006, January 10). Islamic Religious Schools, Madrasas:. [On-Line]. Available: HTTP://www.italy.usembassy.gov/pdf/other/RS21654.pdf.    Wikipedia (2007, August 18). Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba. [OnLine]. Available: HTTP://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islami_Jamiate-Talaba .