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In Pakistan, Which Aspires To Be A 'Islamic State', Sectarian

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In Pakistan, which aspires to be a 'Islamic state ', sectarian conflict is part of, and interacts with, broader issues concerning the place of Islam in public life. There are sectarian identities which diversify each group and say who belongs to what sect , for example the believing of attending a mosque or madarasa. Islamization, or the introduction of 'Islamic ' norms and institutions through government policy or decree, is another factor which has often provoked and defined sectarian controversies in Pakistan. That Pakistan professes to be an Islamic state means that Islamic laws will be not observed in that state but enforced by it. This practice was introduced in 1979 by General Zia Ul Haq. [ Zaman , 1998] It doesn’t matter …show more content…

According to Siddiqui , blasphemy laws were requested to target minorities. Blasphemy law is a law limiting the freedom of speech and expression and are used to protect the religious beliefs of a majority group or those who control the law.
It attracted much attention in Pakistan but the misuse would only cause violence. Christians and non Sunni Muslims were being beaten by the public without any legal fines. Siddiqui states
“In a 2013 study by the Pew Research Center, Pakistan had the highest possible score on the social hostilities involving religions index, which measures acts of religious hostility by private individuals, organizations, and social groups. This includes religion-related armed conflict or terrorism, mob or sectarian violence, harassment over attire for religious reasons, and other religion-related intimidation or abuse. This index thus tries to take into account individual-level hostilities as well attacks by militant organizations.” [ Siddiqui , 2015 , Pg 6 ]
Violence motivated by sectarianism has taken many forms in and prominent representatives from each sect have been victims in tit-for-tat targeted killings. One group has launched armed attacks against another group’s schools and homes and funerals and religious processions have been bombed, as well have neighborhoods that have demographically dominated that area.

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