VIEW: Extremism: too late to contain it? —Yasmin Ali

The Taliban would come to Swat residents’ houses and ask able-bodied men of the family to join them. The ‘pay structure’ then ranged from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. The atmosphere of insecurity has diminished whatever little opportunities they had of earning a decent livelihood. Are we pushing the locals of Swat to support the Taliban by closing the doors to gainful employment in their area?

Extremism, fundamentalism, militancy — these are terms used and heard every day. Are they the same, or are they different? Is a fundamentalist an extremist or vice versa? I am a fundamentalist, and so are you. But are we extremists? I will politely, and if need be, rudely, disagree.

Until 1950, there was no entry for fundamentalism in the Oxford English Dictionary; the derivative, fundamentalist, was added only in its second, 1989 edition. The term ‘fundamentalism’ has its roots in the Niagara Bible Conference (1878–1897), which defined those things that were fundamental to Christian belief. The term was also used to describe The Fundamentalist, a collection of twelve books on five subjects, published in 1910. In the same year, the general assembly of the Presbyterian Church distilled these into what became known as the ‘five fundamentals’ or the basic five pillars of their religion. So any person who believes in the fundamentals of the faith he or she belongs to, is, essentially, a fundamentalist.

It was not until the Islamic Iranian Revolution that the term ‘Islamic fundamentalism’ was coined. This made it easy for the West to relate to what was happening in that part of the world, as they were well aware of Christian fundamentalism. A fundamentalist is, however, distinct from an extremist. In democratic societies, individuals or groups that advocate the replacement of democracy with an authoritarian regime are usually branded extremists. In authoritarian societies, the opposite is true.

See why I am willing to disagree on the callous ways these terms are abused and branded? Even all extremists are not action-oriented militants. That is yet another category. A militant is a person with an aggressive, combative character, especially in the service of a cause. As an intelligent reader, one can discern that it is possible to be a fundamentalist without being an extremist or a militant. You can also be an extremist without being a militant. However, you cannot be an extremist and a militant without being a fundamentalist.

Let us examine why extremism and militancy seem to have captured the minds of so many Pakistanis, especially the youth, who are willing to blow themselves up to smithereens. Around three years ago, I taught a student who hailed from Swat. He and his brother were studying in Lahore. The father had died many years ago. They had a sister and a mother, who moved to Lahore, too, in due course of time. The reason for moving the family to Lahore was interesting. He told me that the Taliban would come to the residents’ houses and ask the able-bodied men of the family to join them. The ‘pay structure’ then ranged from Rs 20,000 to Rs 25,000. Should the men die in action, the money would continue to be paid and in case of the marriage of a sister or a daughter, the Taliban organisation would bear the full costs. For many, he said, in the absence of any job opportunities, this was just another plain job. Many embraced it. Not because of faith in their ideology, nor an undying belief in the cause, but just as a vocation.It does not necessarily follow that a great number do not believe within the ranks of the Taliban that they are answering to a higher calling. Of course they do. But a large number joins their ranks due to poverty, lack of opportunities, inability to improve their lot, having been made negative-minded after suffering injustices and, at times, just to seek power.

Now I come to the crowning glory: our failure to provide for our people, in every sphere of life. Talibanisation of Swat is a classic case study. Talking of the education sector, how many schools do we have in Swat? How many for girls and boys each in terms of gender break-up? How do they compare with the average educational standard of the rest of the province as well as other provinces? How many professional institutions are there? In the health sector, how many hospitals do we have in Swat? What standard and quality of healthcare do they provide? What is the number and quality of the medics there?

In terms of employment opportunities, what kind of manufacturing units or industrial infrastructure development can these areas boast of? What kind of opportunities do the locals have to gainfully employ themselves? The economy of Swat is based on tourism and small-scale silk and cosmetics manufacturing units. Since the insurgency and the resultant army action took place, many of these units have been closed and their revival will take time because most of their technical staff belonged to other provinces, and they are reluctant to return unless the situation improves. But, what of the locals themselves? How many locals do these units employ? Hardly any, I was told.

More than 25,000 workers were employed by some 500 hotels in the Swat district. The industry is mainly dependent on tourism for its business. Its growth has remained at the lowest ebb because of security concerns for the last couple of years. But still, this was the main source of income for thousands of families.

Are we pushing the locals of Swat to support the Taliban by closing the doors to gainful employment in their area? The atmosphere of insecurity prevailing there has diminished whatever little opportunities they had of earning a decent livelihood. Whereas there is no denying that militancy cannot be supported, the menace must be dealt with in no uncertain terms. It is also a reality that we need to focus on the development of these neglected areas and provide basic amenities, justice, education, health facilities and job opportunities. This is an arduous road to take, but one that is unavoidable. This is the only way to contain and reverse the tide. It is still not too late.

We need to distance ourselves from just talking. Tall claims and bravado will not achieve the objective of creating a stable and prosperous Pakistan. The opportunity exists, but maybe not for too long. Avail it, Mr Prime Minister. The country needs a short-term plan coupled with a long-term strategy to rehabilitate the area. We have the resources and we have the skill. But do we have the vision and the will to do it?

The writer is a lawyer, currently teaching in the Mass Communications Department of Beaconhouse National University. She also owns and moderates her blog and can be reached at pakpotpourri@gmail.com