NCJ Number
218211
Journal
Studies in Conflict & Terrorism Volume: 30 Issue: 4 Dated: April 2007 Pages: 353-365
Date Published
April 2007
Length
13 pages
Annotation
This article proposes a strategy for reforming Pakistan's militaristic madaris, which are Muslim religious schools that promote the jihadist ideology of war against "infidels."
Abstract
Under the impetus of the "War on Terror," the Pakistani Government was pressured to deal with their violent religious schools. Although the Federal Government developed a plan for reform, its tactics and implementation have not been successful. The militant schools continue their influence in the lives of young Pakistanis. There are some 10,000-20,000 madaris currently operating in Pakistan, with most located along the Afghanistan border. In order for reformation to occur, the Pakistani Government must develop and strictly implement policies that will demilitarize the madaris. In order to achieve this reform, attention must be given to financing, curriculum, and the government's authority over schools. Funding for madaris comes from only a few sources, such as several nation-states, international Islamic charities, and Pakistani residents. By eliminating all sources of private funding, the Pakistani Government would force the madaris to be dependent on the state. This would require that the Federal Government license and fund all schools, while ensuring that unlicensed schools are not allowed to operate. This, in turn, requires that all madaris in the country be located and monitored under a licensing scheme. Further, the curriculum taught in madaris must not include the teaching of violence against nonbelievers as a central tenet of Islam. 18 references