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| Challenges of cascading Barelvi extremism | | |
M.M.Khajooria
Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan announced its arrival as a major sectarian/militant force through a massive sit-in in Islamabad in 2017. The issue for protest was well chosen. Tt focussed on a clause in the Election Act relating to the finality of prophethood. whipped up Religious sentiments created a mob frenzy of frightening proportions. Predictably, the matter soon turned into a political controversy. The stand-off continued fora week .Finally and significantly it fell to the lot of “”Security agencies “”to broker the deal. The civilian government was made to sign on the dotted line . The demands of the group. were conceded. A senior intelligence officer was also a signatory to the deal along with the then interior minister. “It is hard to recall another instance of an intelligence official involved in brokering a deal between the government and extremists challenging the writ of the state.” Wrote eminent Journalist Zahid Hussain. To the utter shame of PAK state, an appalling .footage was telecast of the Punjab Rangers chief shamelessly distributing cash to the protesters. The authority of the state was seldom so compromised. It was much more than appeasement. It was abject surrender to the lawbreakers and the non-state actors thereby undermining the legitimacy of the civil administration.
This episode ended up boosting the public support and morale of the Sunni/ Barelvi extremists. The TLP emerged as a major political force in the 2018 election. Even though it failed to win even a single seat ,The group emerged as the third largest group in terms of votes in Punjab.
Religiously motivated groups have successfully paralysed civic life in Pakistan time and again but what happened this week is extremely serious. The state appeared to have disappeared asThe followers of a radical cleric blocked highways and train tracks disconnecting access to the country’s main cities. Violent mobs held sway in many parts of the country. The videos circulating on social media of showing some security personnel approvingly responding to the crowd should serve as wake up call to the PAK authorities.
Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan chief Saad Hussain Rizvi, was detained a day after he threatened to storm Islamabad for”” failure to implement the agreement to expel the French ambassador”” over blasphemous images and the French president’s controversial remarks. Hence the protests.
It was the same policy of appeasement that led the PTI government to concede to the TLP’s irrational demands in November 2020. The deal ended the protest but further weakened the states, own authority .It is obvious that the administration as well as the government , have failed to grasp any lessons from its mistakes or the cost of delayed action. In Punjab, where Labbaik hold the sway , a few thousand zealots were able to paralyse the whole administration. Observers of the scene feel that the violence could have easily been controlled if timely action was taken against the rioters. Instead, the inaction has further emboldened the rampaging mob The virtual collapse of the administration in the face of mob violence is alarming to say the least, underscores how Pak government is surrendering before the rising religious extremism. The spectacle of the mob beating police officers and making them hostage has exposed the false claims of the rule of law..
The rise of Barelvi terrorism in Pakistan should serve as wake call for us in India. It would be, to say the least naïve on our part to ignore the impact that it is bound to have here in India. Remember, the Baretvis in India have traditionally and historically been nationalists., moderates and anti-terrorism. Barelvi Ulmas and the administration should jointly ensure that the monster does not raise its head in India. |
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