Pak must rein in Sunni extremism

An attack on a Shia mosque in Peshawar in Pakistan recently resulted in the death of at least 62 people and injuries to another 200. What makes the attack particularly reprehensible is the fact that it was carried out in a place of worship and on unarmed civilians. This attack was not just about scaring or terrorising people but it was aimed at causing maximum death and havoc as the assailants struck during Friday prayers when the mosque would be packed with worshippers. The Islamic State-Khorasan (IS-K), the terror group’s Af-Pak affiliate, has claimed responsibility for the attack. Targeting Shias has been an important part of the strategy of the terror group, whether in Iraq, Syria, Afghanistan or Pakistan. There were enough warning signs that an attack by the IS-K on Shias was imminent. Members of religious minorities were being targeted by the terror group in recent months. In September, a Sikh man was shot dead. In its statement claiming responsibility for the killing, the IS-K noted that he was a polytheist. In January a Christian priest was shot dead in Peshawar, allegedly by the IS-K. An attack on Shias was therefore a matter of time. Why authorities did not tighten security at the Shia mosque is a question for the Pakistani government to answer.

However, installing cameras, deploying more police at places of worship or religious processions or other security measures will not by themselves prevent the targeting of Shias and Ahmadiyyas, or Hindus and Christians, in Pakistan. The Pakistani State needs to halt its appeasement of Sunni radicalism. Sunni extremists in groups like the Ahl-e-Sunnat-Wal-Jamaat and the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan routinely spew anti-Shia venom. Shias are referred to as 'heretics,' 'apostates' and 'blasphemers.' At rallies in some Pakistani cities in recent years, calls to behead Shias have been raised. Yet, the Pakistani State has chosen to look the other way. Incidentally, it is not just Sunni extremist and terror outfits that target Shias. Pakistan’s politicians are great enablers of such violence. In July 2020, for instance, the Punjab Assembly passed the Tahaffuz-e-Bunyad-e-Islam Bill, which privileges the Sunni interpretation of the Quran. A campaign to declare Shias as non-Muslims has been gathering momentum on social media and on the streets of Pakistan’s cities. Meanwhile, Pakistan’s blasphemy law enables Sunni extremists to target Shias and other religious minorities. As with the Ahmadiyyas, Shias are being systematically persecuted.

It is amid this atmosphere of sectarian hate and bigotry that terror groups like the IS-K thrive. Military operations against the IS-K, while useful, will not defeat Sunni extremism. The Pakistani State must halt its patronage of Sunni extremist groups. Political parties need to stop using their support for political gain.