News around the world – Pakistan – Conflicts in Pakistan

I) CONFLICTS in multi-cultural society of Pakistan

Gulalai Ismail – Aware Girls

Pakistan Pakistani society is a multicultural society. There are four provinces, seven tribal agencies, Northern Areas, and Pakistan occupied Kashmir. We have different languages, cultures, religious minorities, and different Islamic sects and different conflicts among these varying cultures, religions, and sects, which are described as following: A. Minorities

1. Religious minorities are threatened by the Islamic fundamentalists and religious extremists. There is a clear discrimination against the religious minorities. Pakistani Constitution has Articles supporting the discrimination against religious minorities. It has described and defined who will be a Muslim and who will not be a Muslim, to declare Ahmadis as non-Muslims. Any non-Muslim cannot occupy key posts such that offices of President, Governor, Prime Minister, Chief Minister, and Chief of Army Staff.
2. There are very discriminatory laws against the religious minorities such that blasphemy laws. These laws can be used easily by any person to harass the religious minorities.
3. The religious extremists compel the religious minorities to convert to Islam.
4. Recently, religious militants attacked a function organized by Christians in Peshawar and kidnapped 25 Christians.

B. Sectarian Violence

1. Ahmadis (a sect of Muslims) are not allowed to practice their religion
2. There are two main sects i.e. Shiates and Sunnies, there is a permanent conflict between the two sects and even they attack each other’s religious and worship places.
3. There is a conflict and battle between the two sects in Kurram and Para-Chinar. Both the parties use sophisticated weapons against each other, 100 of people have been killed. The state has lost its writ in the area.

C. Natural Resource Conflicts Balochistan is a rich province in natural resources and minerals. The local population called Baloch are of the view that their natural resources such that natural gas, oil and sea fort are exploited by the Federal Government mainly represented by Punjabis. Therefore, they are against Punjabi speaking people in the province, attack them, and even kill them. The Balochs have established its own liberation army for attacks on the law enforcing agencies and Punjabi speaking people.

D. Karachi Conflict A large number of population migrated from India to Pakistan after division of India in 1947. The people migrated from India are called “MUHAJIRs” (Immigrants). Karachi is an Industrial and business city. The people from other provinces have also migrated to this city for jobs and businesses. The second biggest population in the city is of Pashto speaking people “PAKHTOONs” form North West Frontier Province of Pakistan. Both the populations are against each other, attack and kill each other with different intervals.

E. Islamic Militancy After fall of Soviet Union, the Islamic Militants focused on Afghanistan and gathered around the world to use Afghanistan as a hub for their activities and promote their agenda globally. After 9/11 incident US and NATO Forces entered Afghanistan under the Resolution of United Nations, started actions against Islamic Militants, and named them “Al-Qaida”. The Government of Afghanistan was run by local Militants called TALIBAN. The Government of Taliban was thrown away by US and NATO Forces. In a reaction, these local Militants started war against US and NATO forces in Afghanistan and further extended its activities to the North west Pakistan and shifted there focus to the tribal areas of North West Pakistan involving the local people especially young people in the name of Holy War(Jihad). Now a days, the situation has become worst in the North West Frontier Province of Pakistan as the Millitants are destroying Girls’ Schools, Government Buildings, attack NGOs, and Music Centers, slaughter law enforcing personnel and those who have different point of view with them.