Pakistan - Highly educated terrorists have always existed

Talha Hashmi

If history is any indication, the emergence of terrorist tendencies in educated people is not a new phenomenon. Almost 17 years ago, this trend came into existence during former military ruler Pervez Musharraf’s tenure, when the US descended upon Afghanistan.

Over the course of time, there came several proscribed organisations — from Al-Qaeda, Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan, Jundullah, and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi to Ansar-ul-Sharia — whose high-profile members were highly educated.

The early years of 2000 ushered in the era of extremism, beginning from the horrific slaughter of Wall Street Journal’s reporter Daniel Pearl, leading to the US consulate and Sheraton hotel bombings over the next few years.

In 2002, the biggest incident of terrorism was the kidnapping and murder of Pearl, The perpetrator, Sheikh Umar, was the alumnus of the prestigious London School of Economics.

In 2004, the terrorist attack on the convoy of Corps Commander Karachi was carried out from the banned Jindullah. The terrorists were highly educated graduates from the University of Karachi.

In 2005, Al-Qaeda’s IT expert Naeem Saboor alias Abu Talha, with a head money of $5 million placed by the US, was arrested.

Azeem Sheikh, who belonged to LeJ, had been involved in several extremist acts, including the attack on Justice Maqbool Baqir. He was arrested in 2013, along with his accomplice Farhan. Sheikh, who was an electronic engineer by profession and is still behind bars.

Daesh’s Kamran alias Gujjar, who was killed last year in an encounter in Manghopir, was also a graduate.

The perpetrators of the Safoora tragedy, Saad Aziz and Ali Rehman alias Tona, were also highly educated. The duo was associated with Daesh and was caught during an encounter with the Counter-terrorism Department (CTD).

In 2017, the terrorist behind the attack on DSP Traffic Faiz M Shigri, Huzaifa was also an IT expert. He lost his life during the encounter in Manghopir, which was carried out by police and other LEAs. Another of Huzaifa’s highly educated accomplice is currently in Afghanistan.

In the recent attack on Muttahida Quami Movement Pakistan’s leader Khawaja Izharul Hassan, Lt Col (retd) Tahir Nagi, DSP Traffic Karimabad, police officials in Site and Bahadurabad, and the attack on Police Foundation’s guard, highly-educated terrorists from Ansar-ul Sharia were involved.

From the in-charge to target killers, every single one of them gained education from the universities in the UK, NED and Karachi University. Apart from high education, the perpetrators were also technology experts.