Pakistan - Extremism danger

THE focus on the fight against terrorism by the military and other security forces tends to overshadow another crucial aspect of the war: the need to clamp down on those individuals, institutions and groups that promote extremist religious thought in the first place.

So while the stepped-up military operation in the northwest is a reminder of the consensus against terrorism that was formed in the aftermath of the Peshawar school attack last month, more action is still needed against those who promote divisiveness and hate.

In this context, it is a welcome sign that some action is now being taken in towns and cities, and the government is finally waking up to the fact that a large number of mosques use the pulpit to preach their narrative of extremism and intolerance.

Resultantly, the past month has seen a number of news items about clerics and prayer leaders being booked for contravening the amplifier act, or the rule that mosque public address systems be used for nothing but the call to prayer and the Friday sermon.

Many people have been booked and shops have been shut down over the dissemination of extremist ideas. For instance, it was reported yesterday that over the preceding two days, the Islamabad Capital Territory police had booked 12 prayer leaders for violating the loudspeaker ban. Before that, as many other clerics, including the deputy prayer leader of Islamabad’s Lal Masjid, were booked for the same transgression.

But despite these measures, it is pertinent — indeed, imperative — to ask the government about its long-term plan. Being ‘booked’ refers merely to the registration of a complaint; over the weeks past, dozens of people have been booked. Are investigations under way? Is the government hoping to arrest the thousands who promote extremism and put them behind bars? Or is this just a cosmetic procedure aimed at mollifying those who have directly or indirectly suffered over the years at the hands of extremists?

If the fight against extremism is to have any chance of success, it must be multipronged and above all, well-thought-out and cohesive.

Efforts such as those outlined above are indeed a first step, but no more than that. They need to be buttressed by a long-term plan and strong measures to counter the poisonous narrative of the extremists, who must be isolated from those who preach peaceful religious values.

Unfortunately, that is as yet not in evidence, notwithstanding the consensus against terrorism. Where is the effort to strengthen the judicial process, for example? To empower investigators and prosecutors and to protect judges and witnesses? In fact, to create a system that can deter the extremist mindset evident across the country?

As the operation against the militants intensifies, radical mosques and seminaries will push back. The state must diversify its arsenal to take them on.