Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

test01 · May 6, 2009, 11:37pm

Pakistan’s problem is its constitution.

A recent sharia-for-peace deal between militant groups and the civilian government in Pakistan’s quasi-autonomous Swat region has ignited interest in the status of Islamic law in Pakistan. The U.S. State Department, concerned about terrorist safe-havens, called the deal a “negative development.” Meanwhile, Fareed Zakaria of Newsweek, trying to look at the bright side of things, argued that the deal might drive a wedge between “violent” radicals and those that are “merely extreme.”

Both of these views, rooted in the “war on terror” frame of thinking, diagnose Pakistan’s relationship with Islam incorrectly. The real issue in Pakistan is not that from time to time a group of militants, while demanding the implementation of sharia, begins attacking civilians. This, while deplorable and painful, is a consequence of Pakistan’s constitution. The essential problem in Pakistan is its flawed constitutional framework, which forces every citizen to refer to their idiosyncratic and personal views on life through the lens of “Islam.” Such a state of affairs has the effect of concealing every political, material and economic demand behind theological verbiage, and that situation ultimately favors religious hard-liners and militants who are willing to use violence.

**Pakistan will not be rid of such religion-based conflict until it addresses the problem of its 1973 Constitution. That document’s constitutional Islamization engenders a cultural competition over who controls Islam—a conflict which, thanks to the Soviet war in Afghanistan and then 9/11, has become politicized, militarized, and weaponized.
**

Dissent Magazine

Croquet · May 7, 2009, 12:08am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

so you are saying these recent revolts are due to the lack of implementation of that constitute?

test01 · May 7, 2009, 12:35am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

No, its the wrong constitution to start with. If Pakistan will be run according to Islam then whoever controls Islam controls Pakistan. Hence the fight over who will control Islam. Sufi Muhammad is only the recent contender.

Croquet · May 7, 2009, 12:36am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

chalo wrong hi sahi but it not being implemented is it?

test01 · May 7, 2009, 12:41am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

You are missing the point. The battle for who will implement Islam and what type of Islam is still being fought.

Croquet · May 7, 2009, 12:42am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

^ and u r convinently ignoring my question.

ehtasab · May 7, 2009, 1:21am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

so how come no extremist elements surfaced from 1947 - 1970s? Someone probably forgot to timeline extremism with geo-political situation.

test01 · May 7, 2009, 1:43am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

Justice Munir Enquiry Report on Anti-Ahmadiyya riots of 1953 (Urdu)
http://www.thepersecution.org/dl/MunirReport.pdf

Justice Munir Enquiry Report on Anti-Ahmadiyya riots of 1953 (English)
http://www.thepersecution.org/dl/report_1953.pdf

ehtasab · May 7, 2009, 1:51am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

^ sorry, anti-Ahmadiyya thing has been long, I'm talking about the militancy.

Croquet · May 7, 2009, 1:52am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

^ perhaps because edges havent been defined so sharply before. say hello to you are with us or against us stupidity.

test01 · May 7, 2009, 1:55am

Read the report, if its not militancy then what is? This resulted in the very first marshal law in the country.

Also this: http://www.paklinks.com/gs/pakistan-affairs/320598-long-road-talibanisation.html

ehtasab · May 7, 2009, 2:13am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

^ again, its about anti-Ahamdiyat, not necessarily extremism indoctrination that begain in 80s.

test01 · May 7, 2009, 2:20am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

Extremism began from the very beginning (40s/50s). In 80’s it got boost and now it has matured in the form of Talibans. This is explained in The long road to Talibanisation.

ehtasab · May 7, 2009, 2:24am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

^ I did read some parts of it. If you really want to push it, then it all began in 6th century ;)

test01 · May 7, 2009, 2:27am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

Yeah, if you are dumb then it did.

The rest of us like to see things in context and in sufficient details.

ehtasab · May 7, 2009, 2:33am

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

^ sure, lets agree to disagree.

test01 · May 9, 2009, 2:31pm

I wish I knew what I was disgreeing to.

kakaballi · May 9, 2009, 2:41pm

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

Lets change the name of our country to " Hypocrite Republic of Pakistan"

test01 · May 9, 2009, 2:46pm

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LockJaw · May 9, 2009, 7:38pm

Re: Pakistan is Already an Islamic State

what the heck is this thread about? can someone please give some focus here besides random Pakistan bashing?