Sectarian violence in Pakistan

Pakistan, the country with the second largest Muslim population in the world, has seen serious Shia-Sunni sectarian violence. Almost 77% of Pakistan's population is Sunni, with 20% being Shia, [http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pakistan#Demographics] but this Shia minority forms the second largest Shia population of any country, [Nasr, Vali, "The Shia Revival" (Norton), 2006, p.160] larger than the Shia majority in Iraq.

In the last two decades, as many as 4,000 people are estimated to have died in sectarian fighting in Pakistan, 300 in 2006. [ [http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0202/p01s02-wosc.html "Shiite-Sunni conflict rises in Pakistan," by David Montero, February 02, 2007] ] Amongst the culprits blamed for the killing are Al Qaeda working "with local sectarian groups" to kill what they perceive as Shi'a apostates, and "foreign powers ... trying to sow discord." [ [http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0202/p01s02-wosc.html "Shiite-Sunni conflict rises in Pakistan," by David Montero, February 02, 2007] ]

Background

Some see a precursor of Pakistani Shia-Sunni strife in the April 1979 execution of deposed President Zulfiqar Ali Bhutto on questionable charges by Islamic fundamentalist General Muhammad Zia ul-Haq. Ali Bhutto was Shia, Zia ul-Haq a Sunni. [Nasr, Vali, "The Shia Revival," Norton, (2006), p.89]

The "Islamization" of General Zia ul-Haq that followed was resisted by Shia who saw it as "Sunnification" as the laws and regulations were based on Sunni fiqh. In July 1980, 25,000 Shia portested the Islamization laws in the capital Islamabad. Further exacerbating the situation was the dislike between Shia leader Khomeini and General ul-Haq. [Nasr, Vali, "The Shia Revival," Norton, (2006), p.161-2]

Shia formed student assocations and a Shia party, Sunni began to form sectarian militias recruited from Deobandi and Ahl-i Hadith madrasahs. Preaching against the Shia in Pakistan was radical cleric Israr Ahmed. Muhammad Manzour Numani, a senior Indian cleric with close ties to Saudi Arabia published a book entitled ``Iranian Revolution: Imam Khomeini and Shiism." The book, which "became the gospel of Deobandi militants" in the 1980s, attacked Khomeini and argued the excesses of the Islamic revolution were proof that Shiism was not the doctrine of misguided brothers, but beyond the Islamic pale. [Nasr, Vali, "The Shia Revival," Norton, (2006), p.164] Anti-Shia groups in Pakistan include the Lashkar i Jhangvi and Sipah-e-Sahaba Pakistan, offshoots of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI). The groups demand the expulsion of all Shias from Pakistan and have killed hundreds of Pakistani Shias between 1996 and 1999. [Rashid, "Taliban" (2000), p.194] As in Iraq they "targeted Shia in their holy places and mosques, especially during times of communal prayer." [Nasr, Vali, "The Shia Revival," Norton, (2006), p.166] From January to May 1997, Sunni terror groups assassinated 75 Shia community leaders "in a systematic attempt to remove Shias from positions of authority." [Nasr, Vali, "The Shia Revival," Norton, (2006), p.167] Lashkar i Jhangvi has declared Shia to be `American agents` and the `near enemy` in global jihad. [Nasr, Vali, "The Shia Revival," Norton, (2006), p.168]

Exacerbating tensions is Iranian funding of Shia extremists in Pakistan, who not only exact revenge against Sunnis, but have also been used to violently supress Iranian dissidents in the country who are critical of the Iranian regime.

Timeline

1990s

An example of an early Shia-Sunni fitna shootout occurred in Kurram, one of the tribal agencies of the Northwest Pakistan, where the Pashtoon population was split between Sunnis and Shia. In September 1996 more than 200 people were killed when a gun battle between teenage Shia and Sunni escalated into a communal war that lasted five days. Woman and children were kidnapped and gunmen even executed out-of-towners who were staying at a local hotel.Kaplan, Robert, "Soldiers of God : With Islamic Warriors in Afghanistan and Pakistan", New York : Vintage Departures, 2001, p.242]

2000s

The violence worsened immediately after September 11th and the expulsion of the Taliban from Afghanistan. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3045122.stm BBC NEWS | South Asia | Pakistan's Shia-Sunni divide ] ] On March 2 2004, at least 42 persons were killed and more than 100 wounded when a procession of the Shia Muslims was attacked by rival Sunni extremists at Liaquat Bazaar in Quetta. [ [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3524851.stm Carnage in Pakistan Shia attack] BBC News] Separately, on October 7 2004, a car bomb killed 40 members of an extremist Sunni organization in Multan. [ [http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0202/p01s02-wosc.html Shiite-Sunni conflict rises in Pakistan | csmonitor.com ] ] 300 people died during 2006. [ [http://www.csmonitor.com/2007/0202/p01s02-wosc.html Shiite-Sunni conflict rises in Pakistan | csmonitor.com ] ]

However, since September 11th, there has been an overall decline in violence, as Saudi sources are more reluctant to fund Sunni extremists in the wake of increased scrutiny of Saudi ties to hardline extremists.

ee also

Persecution of Shia Muslims

References

External links

* [http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/3045122.stm Pakistan's Shia-Sunni divide (BBC)]
* [http://www.shaheedfoundation.org Shaheed Foundation - documenting sectarian violence]