Islamist and jihadist forces in Pakistan are taking advantage of the ongoing legal crisis sparked by the removal of the chief justice, which has weakened President Pervez MusharrafÂ’s government, according to a commentary. Stratfor, a US news intelligence service, writes that as a result, the influence of religious extremists and radical Islamists is gradually spreading beyond the Pashtun areas along the Pak-Afghan border. The governmentÂ’s cautious approach to these developments could further weaken it as well as embolden those who promote religious conservatism. Recent events in Pakistan involving radical and militant Islamists show that these religious elements are trying to exploit PakistanÂ’s political instability to their advantage. One incident shows that Pashtun militants are trying to establish their writ in the tribal areas and reacting to the pressure they are facing from the deals between as well the fighting between pro-government tribesman and foreign militants.
Meanwhile, the suicide bombing in Kharian in part was designed to underscore that the jihadist sphere of operations has now expanded into Punjab. Stratfor writes that the boldest attempt by Islamist extremists is the one by female students of the Jamia Hafsa. Their action demonstrates that Islamists can challenge the governmentÂ’s writ even in the capital. Making the event even more significant was the defensive posture of the Islamabad administration to the crisis.
Strafor believes that the government is worried that a crackdown against Islamist vigilantes under the current domestic political conditions could exacerbate unrest. Islamabad has also declined to use force against the vigilantes to avoid giving the impression that it is siding with those allegedly engaged in vice. While this may have prevented an ugly confrontation in the short term, the governmentÂ’s defensive attitude will only contribute to the growing crisis of governance in the long run, the analysis predicts, arguing that religious extremists all over the country could be emboldened by IslamabadÂ’s timid response. This could add to the unrest in the country. The spread of Talibanisation from PakistanÂ’s border regions into its heartland could force Musharraf into sharing power with his secular opponents to salvage his own political position and roll back religious extremism.