Understanding The International Drivers And Domestic Roots Of Sunni-Ahia Sectarian Conflict In Pakistan

This study inquiries about the nature,significance,proliferation and context of sectarian conflict in Pakistan from 1979 to 2018.It also sheds light on the developments and circumstances that paved the way for the evolution and construction of sectarian conflict in the country.This study describes sectarian conflict in Pakistan as essentially Shia-Sunni conflict.For this purpose,this dissertation adopts mixed methods to investigate the Shia Sunni conflict in Pakistan and the role of Saudi Arabia and Iran in escalation and intensification of this conflict under the theoretical framework of rivalry theory,Cold War theory,proxy war theory and identity mobilization.This study therefore answers these questions:（1）What are the local and regional developments along with socio-economic factors that contributed to the construction and intensification of sectarian conflict in Pakistan?（2）What are the sources and networks of sectarianism in Pakistan?（3）How Saudi Arabia and Iran have contributed to spread sectarian conflict in Pakistan?（4）What roles have state,sub-state and transnational actors played in aggravating the sectarian violence in Pakistan?（5）What measures and strategies formulated by state of Pakistan to avert sectarian violence between Shias and Sunnis?It also provides the background information on the phenomenon being analyzed given the fact that the historical circumstances of a society where a phenomenon takes place must be evaluated in order to fully comprehend the phenomenon.For this purpose,this study lays out the historical background of the conflict between Sunni and Shia Muslims during pre-colonial and colonial times examining the struggle for political power between two communities,their theological differences and the role of external powers in this conflict.This also study takes a look at Shia-Sunni relations in Pakistan from a historic perspective which had been amicable until the late 1970s apart from occasional instances of brawl between the two sects.The situation changed with the Islamic revolution of 1979 in Iran,Islamization programme of military regime of Zia-ul-Haq in Pakistan,Soviet invasion of Afghanistan and subsequent Jihad,and Iran-Iraq war and the resultant involvement of Iran and Sunni Arab states particularly Saudi Arabia in Pakistan.These regional and domestic developments and socio-economic factors contributed to the hardening of Sunni and Shia identities and the escalation of a Shia-Sunni sectarian conflict in Pakistan.From this point forward,in the start of eighties and throughout the nineties,Pakistan became a theatre of a proxy war between Saudi Arabia and Iran.In the act,the country witnessed fierce violence throughout the eighties and nineties.Both countries,in alliance with their Pakistani allies,established the networks and bases of sectarianism i.e.mosques/Imam Bargaahs,madrassas,polemical literature,political groups and sectarian organizations through which sectarian conflict in the country has been fought.The institutions of mosques/Imam Bargaahs,madrassa,and scurrilous polemics,religious and sectarian organizations are knitted and intricate in joint sectarian identities.These institutions have focused sectarian leanings and vigorous sources of nurturing sectarian identities.The Islamic revolution in Iran and resultant standoff between Saudi Arabia and Iran had a profound impact on the balance of Shia-Sunni relations in the polity and society of the country.At first,the struggle for domination between the Pakistani Sunni state and its Shia minority and later on a struggle for control between Shia Iran and Sunni Saudi Arabia mobilized the sectarian conflict by hardening the sectarian identities.This mobilization and hardening of sectarian identities created rift between Sunnis and Shias with broader implications.Both Iran and Saudi Arabia made alliance with Pakistani elements in sectarian discourse and provided them with economic and doctrinal support to counterbalance the influence of their rival sects.Due to these developments,a number of Sunni organizations i.e.SSP and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi supported by the state prosecuted the Shia minorities.In response,a minority of violent Shia groups e.g.SMP turned to violence in order to guard their community,engaging in quid pro quo violent attacks against their rival Sunni groups and subsequently,the sectarian conflict between Shias and Sunni reconstructed into a violent conflict.The study thoroughly examines this spate of violence between Sunni and Shia sectarian organizations which were involved in killings and bombing campaigns that killed thousands of people from both sides including children and innocents praying in mosques throughout the eighties and nineties.This violent sectarian conflict had a tiring effect on law-and-order situation in the country,weakening the national spirit and the very sense of community in villages and cities of the polity.While the military government of General Zia-ul-Haq paid no heed towards the problem of sectarianism in 80’s,the democratic governments of the last decade of 20^thcentury tried to fix the problem of sectarianism by taking few measures,however,they could not prove successful in their endeavors.The 9/11 attacks on American soil and subsequent global war on terror ran down the situation of sectarianism in Pakistan.General Pervez Musharraf put a nationwide ban on Shia and Sunni sectarian organization in order to diffuse the situation.However,these sectarian organizations kept on working in different areas of the country under new names.After the departure of Pervez Musharraf from the corridors of power,incidents of sectarian violence increased in Pakistan.The Shia Muslims of FATA and Baluchistan have been remained targets of Sunni sectarian elements as a number of Shias in Parachinar,Kurram Agency and Quetta were killed throughout the 2010’s.Apart from FATA and Baluchistan,anti-Shia violent incidents were also reported in Gilgit Baltistan and Karachi.The study also contextualize the phenomenon of sectarian violence in 21^stcentury especially after 9/11 with the new development of convergence of global terrorist organizations like Al-Qaeda and ISIS and groups like Pakistani Taliban with local sectarian groups.In recent past,a serious internal security challenge has originated for Pakistan originating from the Yemen crisis which has implications for time old sectarian problem in the country as Pakistan found a new challenge in Yemen situation where Saudi Arabia and Iran have been engaged with each other.The Yemen crisis bears an irrefutable sectarian aspect as it is poised along Shia vs.Sunni segregation.Pakistan has already been confronting the dilemma of terrorism at home and it could not afford to face a new challenge of sectarianism by becoming a part of Yemen crisis.There are voluminous fears in Pakistan that Saudi-Iranian theological differences and rivalry in Yemen could have serious ramifications for its domestic security situation and sectarian harmony.Therefore,Pakistan decided not to take sides with Saudi Arabia or Iran and maintained its neutrality in Yemen crisis.Pakistan also launched National Action plan at home to fight terrorism and sectarianism.Owing to the military operations,the situation improved throughout the country to the extent of sectarianism.Even though the plague of sectarianism has not been fully eliminated and the situation can get deteriorated in the future.The dissertation also investigates the state response towards sectarian violence and proposes suggestions and recommendations to cope with the problem of sectarianism in Pakistan.The study finds out that Shia-Sunni sectarian conflict is a phenomenon that is a product of regional developments and the result of rivalry between Saudi Arabia and Iran.Since the Islamic revolution of Iran in 1979 and rift between Saudi and Arabia over Iran’s ambitions to export its revolution to Muslim world also affected Pakistan as it became a proxy theatre between these two countries.Since its inception,the relations between Sunnis and Shias and Sunnis have been amicable but the situation changed as a result of a couple of regional developments and domestic changes.In the end,this study suggests few areas for future studies in sectarianism beyond Shia-Sunni conflict as it point out towards the sectarian differences between Barelvis and Deobandis/Salafis and Deobandis and Salafis which could also be studied as sectarian conflicts in Pakistan.