Understanding the Socio-Political Dynamics of Pakistan

Participants:

. WORDE President, Hedieh Mirahmadi
. Program Director, Waleed Ziad
. Research Fellow, Mehreen Farooq

Due to the security situation in Pakistan, the delegates asked that their names not be publicized in connection with the project, so they will be referred to as Delegates 1-5.

Background

Pakistan, an important South Asia regional ally of the US, is home to approximately 175 million Muslims, the vast majority of which practice moderate traditional Islam and reject the Al-Qaeda/Taliban’s brand of religion.

To effectively counter the rise of religious extremism or “Talibanism” as it is often referred to, the US needs to establish relationships with moderate traditional and cultural leaders in Pakistan. The network of traditional Muslims known as the ASJ [an acronym for Ahl as-Sunnah wa’l-Jamaat] are amongst the most respected community leaders, clerics and activists who wield considerable influence in the troubled frontier which is otherwise inaccessible to outsiders. For decades, they have been primary providers of social services and education throughout the country and are therefore a critical resource for mobilizing the population at the grassroots level.

The challenge is recognizing which religious leaders to work with, and how their institutions can help in countering Talibanization. US policy makers must be able to distinguish jihadi fighters from traditional Muslim leaders who are our natural allies because confusing the two will invariably alienate the local population. Understanding the ideological divide in Pakistan is critically important to developing both effective military strategies and economic development programs.

Program

WORDE hosted a high level Pakistani delegation, which included a current Federal Minister, and convened a weeklong series of meetings with US policymakers in Washington DC. The delegates met with officials at the US Departments of State, Defense, and USAID, as well as with lawmakers on Capitol Hill, think tanks, community groups and NGO’s to provide practical insights into the culture, history and hierarchy of sociopolitical groups in Pakistan. The delegates explained how vast regions of the Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Province (formally the NWFP)  and FATA are now overrun with extremists and how their growing influence runs contrary to centuries of traditional culture in the area.  These experts described the process by which whole communities have been uprooted, leaving behind a safe haven for the radical Taliban and Al-Qaeda. In their remarks, the delegates provided concrete solutions to the problem and gave predictions on future success if those recommendations were implemented.

The program was an opportunity to learn how radical groups operate, how anti-Jihadist forces in Pakistan view the current political climate, and how they believe the ultimate battle for Pakistani hearts and minds will be won. As a result of those meetings, the following policy recommendations were put forward.

Policy Objectives

Based on comments and discussion that occurred during these meetings, WORDE has outlined four broad policy recommendations that developed as a result of the recent visit:

• Though it is expedient in the short term to negotiate a cessation of violence with the most extreme leaders, the US needs to have a long term strategy of empowering moderate Muslim networks who share our common goals of preserving the Pakistan state and encouraging the common values of human liberty, freedom of expression and personal choice. In this regard, the US must recognize the important role of traditional ASJ religious leaders, and create partnerships with their institutions and networks which impact millions of people in Pakistan. This will serve to strengthen the moderate voice and broaden their legitimacy, both at the local and international levels. 
  
  
• Second, the US should help bolster the position of moderate religious leaders vis-à-vis extremist ideologues by providing monetary assistance to strengthen the institutional capacity of their social welfare, educational, and political organizations, providing leadership training for their progressive political parties, providing media support, communications and public relations training to strengthen the moderate voice, and organizational support for conferences that promote unity and peace, as well as  other educational programs that condemn terrorism and religious radicalism.
  
  
• Third, the US should demonstrate American goodwill by working within established networks of the moderate religious leadership to administer aid, carry out development projects, and provide rapid-response humanitarian assistance. By establishing partnerships to provide social services and educational institutions to improve the lives of the Pakistani people, the US can help strengthen moderate institutions, and delegitimize jihadi networks who build their support base by providing social services to those most in need.
  
  
• In furtherance of the counterinsurgency [COIN] objectives in Pakistan and the need for “reintegration and reconciliation” of extremists who are not ideologically driven, these traditional ASJ leaders and clerics have the local legitimacy to peel away the terrorist recruits who enlist with the Taliban due to dire circumstances -unemployment, abject poverty, or political grievances. In order to achieve their COIN objectives, the traditional ASJ institutions must be strengthened to provide modern education and job training to represent an overall hope for the future. COIN tools should not be limited only to engage with the central government, which can be slow to provide social services in conflict-affected areas, and often lacks credibility at the local level because of historical political and social grievances. The COIN strategy should include utilizing the existing ASJ civil society infrastructure as part of the “hold and build” mechanism particularly in post-conflict zones, which would guarantee long term sustainability and buy-in of the local populations.

View the Program's Pictures

Congresswoman Sue Myrick hosts the group for a briefing on the Hill

Peter Bergen with Worde President Hedieh Mirahmadi and Program Director, Waleed Ziad

Delegate event at the Hudson Institute with host Zeyno Baran

Delegates meet with Pakistan’s Ambassdor to the US, Hussain Haqqani

Delegates meet with international community and Pakistani ex-pats.

Delegates meet with staffers from the House Foreign Affairs Committee

Delegate meeting at US Institute of Peace

Delegates meet with international community and Pakistani ex-pats.

Delegates meet with Pakistan’s Ambassdor to the US, Hussain Haqqani