Pakistan: Taliban-Seminary Nexus

If recent reports by an international news agency are to be believed, religious seminaries or Madrassas, are plotting with the Taliban to execute terror attacks in the capital, in the event that talks with the government fail. The peace talks which kicked off in February this year, have proved to be largely ineffective. There have been few, if any victories for the PML-N government and at least 90 people have died in violent attacks since the declaration of the TTP ceasefire in March. Once viewed through the prism of probability, it seems likely, that the peace talks will indeed fail. When that happens, a deadly coalition will be waiting to strike the capital. This alliance is not outside the realm of possibility; not only have seminaries been under the microscope recently for the dispensation and cultivation of hate material under the pretext of an Islamic education, but the Red Mosque incident of 2007 serves as a reminder of the capacities of seminaries to execute violent Taliban-style movements in urban centres. The seminary suspects are already intellectually primed and motivated to act in accordance with TTP narratives on war with the government. There can be no better-placed partner for the Taliban to launch practical city-wide attacks from, than a network of Madrassas providing both cover and manpower. Hiding under the guise of religious seminaries, protected by powerful, radical clerics in government, the TTP could begin a new surge of brutal attacks and propaganda; both equally dangerous tools in the fight for peaceful narratives, and security for all. The government must act now; the country needs complete institutional cohesion to fight this war. Security forces must be mobilised and the judiciary must be empowered and protected to convict those responsible for the violence.