Pakistan Under Siege Written By Madiha Afzal
Pakistan Under Siege / Security Lense| Book Review | 08-August-2024
Introduction
After reading and carefully analyzing the context of the book, I have come to the conclusion how the Pakistan have been facing the Multi-dimensional problems where the extremism, terrorism, and religious radicalism have emerged with the state due to deviation and deep-rooted relationship with terrorism and non-state actors of this state. Where the all sectors of Pakistan not only destructed but the state is going backwards due to its unclear and undecided policies. I must warn that, this book is neither for fictional readers who reads books for enjoyments, nor for radical and narrow-minded people who follows the political leaders and religious so-called Molvis without knowing and analyzing any facts and figures. While someone who is interested to know the reason behind extremism and terrorisms in Pakistan, should definitely read this book as it can be an eye opener. “Pakistan under Siege” written by Madiha Afzal in second day of January, 2018. Madiha Afzal is the fellow in the foreign policy program at Brookings. She has published several journal articles about Pak- U. S relations, Policy reports, book chapters and essays but her most prominent work from her collection is this book.
The book is divided into six sections:
(i) A Country of Radicals? Not Quite;
(ii) The Pakistani State and Terrorist Groups;
(iii) Pakistan’s Legal Islamization;
(iv) An Ideological Education;
(v) Islamist and Madrassas; and
(vi) An Appraisal and a Way Forward.
Afzal explains ground realities about terrorism and religious radicalisms in Pakistan where the author starts by explaining the how Pakistan suffered from great terrorism? Where, tens of thousands of civilians and security forces have been killed in terrorist attack conducted by the different terrorists’ groups. And why the state of Pakistan characterized as an extremist country? The author then explained in detail about the creation of mainstream militant groups of Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), Al-Qaeda (AQ), Jaish-e –Muhammad, and Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP), and their relation with Pakistan. By these militants’ groups Pakistan’s foreign policy has been shifting in many phases and rapidly changing without any long-term program.
Her book, Pakistan under Siege, Author highlighted difficulties faced by state in its misunderstandings of militant groups, the support of state to the terrorist group have really defamed and isolated the Pakistan from the international politics. After the end of Soviet-Afghan war, Pakistani fighters trained and deployed into Kashmir to fight with India as a proxy group of Pakistan Army, where the Lashkar-e-Taiba and Jaish-e-Muhammad were operated under the umbrella of Pak Army. The militant groups not only fought with India but also have strengthened their alliance with other terrorist groups and have mislead the youths with their self-made teaching and beliefs of Islam.
As the Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP) was created by Sufi Muhammad, the former member of Jamat-e-Islami who participated on Soviet-Afghan war and later he formed Tehrik-e-Nifaz-e-Shariat Muhammad (TNSM) with the help of Pakistan Army after disintegration of Soviet Union, to impose the sharia in Dir (hometown), and this group converted into TTP and with the passage of time they became stronger. After the Taliban’s Takeover: Pakistan has been facing an insurgency challenge.
The book which contains reality of Pakistan, I have listed some strength to cite, these are: The author expressed her opinion about the manipulated academic curriculum of Pakistan educational system through its extremist & narrow mind narrative.
The author interviewed the several students and teacher during her research, in her opinion, our distorted historical curriculum and classification of education system being a major cause of extremism in society. secondly, In this book, author not only discussed the Legal Islamization of Pakistan but also the conflict of trilateral groups of stakeholder including: Dictator, Democratic and Religious political parties have been fighting for the power, on one hand the leaders in the parliament wants to aligning with USA and on other hand they promote anti-Americanism among the peoples.
The vagueness of foreign policy of Pakistan distracted the direction of this state, according to author; state should be separate from religion, because it will create discrimination for minorities who lives in states. Furthermore, Afzal, identifies the contributions each stakeholder to pushing Pakistan’s ideology towards radicalism through backdoors relationships with different militant groups. Including; political parties, and establishment. Author believes that the state of Islamic republic used its academic institutions as a medium in brainwashing the mindsets of its citizens.
Afterward, author highlighted that Pakistan Army is the powerful institution, who controls not only all institutions but the political leaders, army ruled in country almost four decades directly with its four-time military coup d’état. There is dominant role of army in Pakistan’s politics that is why they created the war situation and fought four major wars with India in different issues. Civilian government has ceremonial role in parliament.
As for weakness there are not many weaknesses to cite. If I had to list a few I might go with the fact these are inclusion of religious education in national curriculum, according to author of this book, national curriculum should be secular and avoid from religious education. Otherwise it will produce extremist and radical society.
While in my personal point of view religion plays a pivotal role in the life of any human and it gives the broader path and barriers to the human being. Religion gives us basic concept how to live, and react? The author has her bias and tries hard to explore the nature of Pakistan in international communities and portrayed the negative picture of common Pakistani. She tries to mention the facts and figures of polls and interviews results to make average Pakistani look non extremist. She tries hard to showcase the bundles of problems in Pakistan, according to author the reason is in her opinion Islamic culture has frozen our society to developed countries.
She thought that if we will not adopt the western culture in our society especially exclusion of religious education from our curriculum then may be the level of extremism will increase, this book takes the route of finding excuses for the state of affairs of Islamic republic of Pakistan.
To concluding with this question: what is national narrative of state about terrorism, whether they are in favor or against?
According to the book, until the state of Pakistan not sort out the issues with militant groups unless the state will face trouble and difficulties to implement their foreign policy with neighbor states. Furthermore, Pakistan has to reshape and reform its educational curriculum and remove all religious interference from its education including science and history books. Pakistan should adopt a flexible and attainable foreign policy with other countries for maintaining its national interests. Finally, I must recommend this book to the students of foreign policy analysis, policymaking and social science to get healthier and critical understanding of extremist and radical narrative and its interconnectedness with states foreign policy.
For more Visit Security Lense News and Media
Buy Pakistan under siege from JSTOR
Connect with Security Lense
Leave a Reply