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India-Pakistan
Mosque versus state
2015-01-10
[DAWN] THE mosque in Pakistain is now no longer just a religious institution. Instead it has morphed into a deeply political one that seeks to radically transform culture and society. Actively assisted by the state in this mission in earlier decades, the mosque is a powerful actor over which the state now exercises little authority. Some have been captured by those who fight the government and military. An eviscerated, embattled state finds it easier to drop bombs on the TTP in tribal Wazoo than to rein in its urban supporters, or to dismiss from state payroll those mosque leaders belonging to murderous Moslem groups.

Very few Paks have dared to criticise the countrys increasingly powerful mosque establishment although they do not spare the Pakistain Army and the countrys politicians for their many shortcomings. For example, following the Army Public School massacre, Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif
... served two non-consecutive terms as prime minister, heads the Pakistain Moslem League (Nawaz). Noted for his spectacular corruption, the 1998 Pak nuclear test, border war with India, and for being tossed by General Musharraf...
s promise to regulate the madressahs was immediately criticised as undoable. Had he instead suggested that Pakistains mosques be brought under state control as in Soddy Arabia
Posted by:Fred

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