Pakistan's Stability Unravels Amid Escalating Internal Strife

Pakistan is witnessing intensified unrest due to religious extremism and governance failures, signaling a turbulent period in its history. Analysts Arif Aajakia and Amjad Ayub Mirza highlight how militant groups, originally fostered by the state, are now turning against it, exposing a deep-seated political crisis.

London [United Kingdom] October 10 (ANI): Pakistan faces an unprecedented crisis, with escalating religious extremism and significant governance failures leading to growing unrest across the country. This turbulent phase is underscored by the insights of Human Rights Defender Arif Aajakia and Pakistan-occupied Jammu Kashmir activist Amjad Ayub Mirza, who point to internal conflicts and political manipulations as major contributors to instability.

Amidst recent clashes between the Tehreek-e-Labbaik Pakistan (TLP) and state authorities, Aajakia claims the group, akin to other militant outfits like Lashkar-e-Taiba, was crafted by the Pakistan Army to influence domestic politics. He emphasizes that the activation and deactivation of such groups are means to maintain political dominance, though their extremist actions have prompted criticism from international bodies like the European Union.

Mirza sharply criticizes the violent skirmishes between TLP and Punjab Police in Lahore, viewing them as evidence of Pakistan's self-inflicted instability. He explains that the state's longstanding strategy of utilizing extremist organizations for political and regional leverage is backfiring, as decades of empowering groups like TLP have resulted in internal chaos and diminishing state authority.