Publication

This analysis focuses on the causes of religious extremism and violence in Pakistan and on possible ways to solve them. The causes include 1) the state-sanctioned use of militant groups to fight proxy wars, 2) the continuous framing of threats against Islam as threats against Pakistan, and 3) a rough-and-tumble media that reinforces social divisions along sectarian lines. Because the state is either unable or unwilling to curb this type of violence, the onus lies on individual citizens to privilege domestic security over extremism.