Sectarian violence threats the security of the religious groups in Pakistan. Lahore, being the capital of Pakistan’s largest province faces such problems every now and then. Around 6 months of research has been conducted on the believers of two distinct sections of Islam. Although Pakistan is an Islamic state but it now engulfs number of sections or sub-religious groups.
We must look into this matter since the spark between the religious groups is creating turbulence in Lahore for quite some time now. The religious segregation has turned out to be very violent in Lahore other than many parts of Pakistan. Pakistan is dealing with the resurgence in sectarian violence, every now and then; violence is experienced between two prominent sections of Islam namely — Sunni and Shia. Lately, Lahore is also experiencing violent incidents between the Barelvi and Deobandi sub-sects of Sunni Islam, which are also on the rise.
Pakistan is the second largest in Shia population after Iran. Sunni are in the majority while Shia are regarded as the minority section of Islam. Sunni- Shia clashes are very brutal in Lahore.
Sectarian violence began to wide spread in Pakistan when the dictator Zia-ul-Haq when policies and legislation aimed at ‘Islamising’. He tried to transform Pakistani into a Sunni state and imposed certain laws that mobilized Shia Muslims such as in 1980 Zia imposed a zakat (wealth tax) and ushr (farming tax) ordinance that contradicted Shia ideologies. This incited mobs as for the first time in the history of Pakistan 100,000 Shia Muslims marched on the federal secretariat in Islamabad, forcing the general to alter the ordinance which are hurting Shia Muslims sentiments.
When Shia were not obliged they refused to pay taxes in the same manner, this prompted Deobandi Sunni groups to target certain Shia persons on the basis of religion. Since then, Pakistan has become a hub of violence between various religious groups. Religion is also being used as a tool to satisfy personal vendetta. Religious sections are growing every single day and creating problems for peace and security of the nation. The rate of fights is increasing among Muslims, and foreign forces are taking greater advantages of it. Pakistan is now being divided which is benefiting the enemies of Pakistan.
Pakistan’s inclusion in US war against terrorist has left it with a series of sectarian problems. Taliban are on the rise since the mid-2000s and their close links with militant sectarian organizations such as Lashkar-eJhangvi is helping the sectarian violence to grow. Sectarian violence has spread across the country, and major areas targeted by it are Baluchistan’s Hazaras (an ethnic minority) and worshippers at Sufi shrines.
Today, sectarian violence has wide spread its tentacles by challenging its internal security. The country has been divided into many religious groups who can’t stand each other; level of tolerance is going down. Taliban are also a greater threat to the sovereignty of Pakistan which are now inclining towards the sectarian problems, the spark is gaining more attention since the government has failed once again to overcome the issues.
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