Religious extremism, the mantra for political power in #pakistan

Pakistan is very evidently going through a process of vertical polarisation. With an overflow of fanaticism, as is evident from outrageous daylight murders of the type that have happened in the last two days and in which young impressionable teenagers have been used with sadistic impunity, the country seems to have irrevocably crossed over to the path of religious extremism with all forms of liberalism having been reduced to an abysmal minority.

Deep rooted corruption, economic deprivation, deteriorating law and order situation and overall misgovernance has led to growing frustration and given birth to a fury whereby people have turned to the only available alternative: religious extremism.

Extremism has, by now, successfully captured the anti-US space and its leaders are the most vocal votaries for a Shariat based Islamic order which completely isolates moderate voices.

When the US made Pakistan its partner in the global war against terror the latter did not appreciate that home grown terrorism, if left unattended, would eat up the vitals of its own home ground, before spreading to gobble up the outside world.

This is the dilemma that Pakistan is facing today and even the proverbial optimist does not see light at the end of the long and dark tunnel. Today, Pakistan is paralysed due to bombings, abductions, and killings which are instilling fear and uncertainty in the public mind.

The overall scenario presents a rather grim picture which calls for a serious overhaul if Pakistan wants to remain intact as a nation.

Ninety-seven percent of Pakistan lives in fear of the three percent who subscribe to a militant and terrorist ideology and who have been given a free run by the Pakistani government and the Pakistani Army to create mayhem within the nation and beyond its territories, a force of rabid criminals which is proudly portrayed by the country as its strategic assets. The way things are going, Pakistan, already in the hands of the Mullahs, will sooner than later veer towards balkanisation.