Sectarian Intolerance among Pakistani Muslims: A Qualitative Study of Scheme-9 Rawalpindi, Punjab

Abstract

Pakistan is a religious and Islamic state. The religion followed in Pakistan is Islam with a fraction of 98%. Being a peaceful religion it protects the rights of every individual without discrimination on the basis of class, sect or faith and promotes values and morals grounded on equality and justice for all without any discernment. Thus, it is the responsibility of every individual to respect the sentiments of other regarding their belief. Therefore, this study explores the reasons that are responsible for endorsing sectarian conflicts among different sects generally known as sectarianism. Starting from the historical roots, the study reconnoitres that how the contemporary extent of sectarianism extended in Pakistan, and what are the reasons that are responsible for up-surging sectarianism in Pakistan. Furthermore, the research also attempts to explore that how intolerance among people on the basis of their diverse beliefs will centrals towards discrimination and persecution that encompasses acts repudiating the rights of people of another sects to practice and express their beliefs freely. It elaborates that how people face economic and social marginalization just because of their diverse beliefs and practices. Moreover, it suggest that sectarian violence has negatively impacted Pakistan's religious, socioeconomic, political, and diplomatic sectors. Ethnic group, sectarian organizations, or even political gangs are more powerful than the central government in Pakistan. And for this reason, sectarianism in Pakistan is significantly growing and widening. At the present time, sentiments of vulnerability are constantly growing due to suicide attacks, targeted killings of religious leaders of either sect, bombings or explosives in mosques and imam Bargahs, etc. This difficult condition has threatened Pakistan's entire social order. Therefore, it is critical to address the sectarian threat immediately. The qualitative research methodologies was adopted to study the research in detail that includes In-depth Interviews, participant observation and Rapport building that makes study more effective. Lastly, this study would be beneficial for the policy-makers and government shareholders to acquire and get to know the unpretentious issues that will help them in devising policies and guidelines to lessen sectarian intolerance among society.