PART 2:
AFGHAN JIHAD: The beginning
If we go back into history, the point of origin of these militant organizations was the “Jihad in Afghanistan”. In Muslim world, Jihad was almost something of past before the Russian invasion of Afghanistan. Even when European countries occupied the entire Muslim world under colonialism, there was no Jihad on a wider scale. Afghanistan and a movement in Algeria were exceptions at that time. Russia easily absorbed all Muslim Central Asia without any resistance. But when Russians invade Afghanistan, it was just like a wave of current across the Muslim world. As usual, Afghans reject foreign occupation and their youth started to fight even with sticks and stones in the early time of Afghan Jihad. The committed resistance against Russia shows light to American policy makers, and US jumped into the war with money and weapons for their revenge of Vietnam. Pakistan, knowing that if Afghanistan fall into the hands of Russians, the only land left between Russians and Arabian Sea will be Balochistan, also jumped in by providing logistic support for Mujahideen and allowed them to set their bases in Pakistan.It was the time when words like “JIHAD” and “MUJAHIDEEN” were echoed across the world. It was the time when guns, weapons and bombs were introduced in Afghanistan and Tribal areas of Pakistan. Now, to keep Ak47 is mandatory for 16-year-old boy in Tribal areas of Pakistan and Afghanistan. The question is, who introduced this foreign weapon to these people? That was the time when money was pouring in not only from US but from Rich Arabs, Europe and South East Asia, and was used for building hundreds of Madrssahs across North Western Frontier of Pakistan. Arab scholars were welcomed, new Jihadi literature was written, published and taught in those Madrssahs. Books about jihad were distributed all across Arab world, brave stories of Afghan and Arab Mujahideen were circulating among Muslim masses, and atmosphere was created that boost Jihadi spirit in Muslim youth. In all these developments of that time, US ingredient was also involved.
Role of Pakistani Madrssahs:
Jihadi Literature was introduced into Afghan and Pakistani newly built as well as old Madrssahs and till now these books are part of curriculum of these Madrssahs. Now, 2 million people are studying in these Madrssahs, everyone knows these are the breeding grounds for new jihadists, these students are in fact continue chain of recruits for Taliban, but no one has power to stop them. Even though, all of the foreign Taliban arrested in Afghan invasion including John Walker Lindh were connected to Pakistani Madrssahs, link of 7/7 bombers were traced down to Pakistani Madrssahs, and now Jamia Hafsa, a challenging force for Pakistani government is located just few streets away from Pakistani parliament in the center of Pakistan’s capital, but still, Pakistani military ruler is unable to take any action because of the power of these Madrssahs. How can a government take action against Madrssahs having 2 million students? And hundreds of thousands are already passed out and are part of Pakistani society. In fact, some of the owners of some chains of Madrssahs are sitting in Parliament. Even though, Mr Musharaf is doing his best to make US happy, but he also know that taking any action against these Madrssahs will destabilize his own country. The numbers of these Madrssahs are on the increase; especially Madrssahs for females are increasing very fast. BBC issued a report about increasing trend in Pakistani females for taking admissions in these religious schools. So point is, these Pakistani Madrssahs are major breeding ground for all militant Islamic parties and their students have a very clear ideology for an Islamic state, and now it looks almost impossible to take any action against these Madrssahs. We have to remember that these Madrssahs once were serving for US interests, and were funded by US, but to US shock, now are the worst opposition against US imperialism.
To be continue...
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