Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong
The ethnic political card has been influential in Pakistan's political history. Political and military leadership, in the past, have been dealing with political issues on the basis of ethnicity-for political objectives. Pakistan's four provinces have their own ethnic identity; they promote regionalism instead of nationalism.Balochistan, the most troubling area, is experiencing unrest due to constant insurgency based on ethnicity.Pashtun Tahafuz Movement (PTM), a new ethnic group, has taken root since 2018. PTM has been posing a new challenge to the state and security establishment. This paper examines the adverse impact of ethnic conflict and politics on national politics and security in the country. The new movement under PTM in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa (KPK) and one of the national political parties in Sindh have posed a grave challenge to the state and its security establishment. The central question of this paper is; why does ethnic conflict pose a security threat? And what are the new trends in ethnic politics?
-
Ethnicity, Pakistan, Politics, Security, Dilemma, Pashtun, Baloch, Sindh, PTM
-
(1) Nasreen Akhtar
Assistant Professor, Department of Politics and International Relation, International Islamic University, Islamabad, Pakistan.
(2) Inamullah Jan
Lecturer, Department of Politics and International Relation, International Islamic University Islamabad, Pakistan.
- Ayesha. (2020). Interview with a Karachi based business woman.
- Ashfaque, A. (2018). “Analysis: The Pakhtun Factorâ€, Dawn, June 28.
- Ali, I. (2020). “Uziar Baloch confesses to providing criminal support to key PPP figures: JIT Reportâ€, Dawn, July 9
- Ahmar, M. (2020). “Karachi as an ethnic challengeâ€, The Express Tribune, August 28.
- Ahmad, M., & Baloch, A. (2015). “Political economy of Balochistan’ Pakistan: A critical review, European Scientific Journal,11(14). https://eujournal.org/index.php/esj/article/view/5688
- Akhtar, N. (2019). “Neo-terrorism and old tactics in Pakistanâ€, June 11, https://twnews.co.uk/pk-news/neo-terrorism-old-tactics-pakistan
- Ali, H. (2017). “ American academics Christian Fair admits Indian officials told her they were pumping money into Balochistan in 2007â€, Daily Pakistan, December, https://en.dailypakistan.com.pk/27-Dec-2017/american-academic-christine-fair-admits-indian-officials-told-her-they-were-pumping-money-into-balochistan-in-2007
- Ali, T. (1970). Pakistan: Military Rule on People’s Power, New York: William Morrow & Co Inc.
- Amin, T. (1988). ‘Ethno-Nationalist Movements of Pakistan: Domestic and International Factors, Institute of policy Studies, Islamabad. 92-93.
- Anayatullah, C. (1993). “Democracy, Ethno nationalism and the Emerging World Orderâ€, in Sushil Kumar(ed)., Gorbachev’s Reforms and International Change, New Delhi: Lancers Books.
- Alvi, H. (1990). “Authoritarianism and Legitimating of State Power in Pakistanâ€, in Subtrata Mitra (ed),The Post Colonial State in South Asia, London.
- Baig, N. (2005). From Muhalla to Mainstream:The MQM Transformation from an ethnic to a Catch-All Party, MA Thesis available at https://dspace.library.uvic.ca/bitstream/handle/1828/914/Thesis.pdf
- Beg, A. M. (2019). Interview, former Chef of the Army Staff.
- Abbas, A. (1997). “Eyeball to Eyeballâ€, Herald, July 7.
- Baxter, G. (1985). “Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asiaâ€, Journal of International Affairs, 38(2), 307-319
- BBC. (2020). “Manzoor Pashteen activist: Who dared to challenge the Pakistan armyâ€, January 27. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-51262639
- Burke, S. M., & Ziring, L. (1991). Foreign Policy of Pakistan: An Historical Analysis, Karachi: Oxford University press.
- Chalk, P. (2007). Ungoverned territories, Rand Corporation.
- Dawn. (2010). “Nationalists want Sindh’s Control over its resourcesâ€, January 10.
- Gurmani, N. (2019). “Spokesperson dismisses of former president’s remarks in parliament†Dawn, August 9.
- Dawn. (2019). “MNA, Ali Wazir, Mohsin Dawar granted bail in Kharqamar attack caseâ€, September 18.
- Dawn. (2019). "Time is up: DGISPR warns PTM leadership in press conference", April 29.
- Dawn. (2020). "Radio Pak claims MNAs Dawar, Wazir fulfilling vested Indian agenda through Afghanistan", March 10.
- Dawn. (2009). “Baloch demand still unmetâ€, February 19.
- Dawn. (2008). “Resolution of Balochistan issue urgedâ€, October 28.
- Daily, T. (2020). “Afghan intelligence agency hosted PTM leaders Mohsin Dawar and Ali Wazirâ€, March 16.
- Finnemore, M., & Sikkink, K. (2001). Taking Stock: The Constructivist Research Program in International Relations and Comparative Politics. Annual Review of Political Science https://doi.org/10.1146/annurev.polisci.4.1.391
- Ghosh, P. S. (1996). Ethnic Conflict and Conflict Management: The Indian Case, ICES Pamphlet Series-3, Kandy: International Centre for Ethnic Studies, 34-35.
- Gurr, T. R .(1971). Why Men Rebel, New Jersey: Princeton University Press.
- Haqqani, H. (2005). Pakistan: Between Mosque and Military, Lahore: Vanguard Books
- Hussain, Z. (2020). "Battle for Karachi", Dawn, September 9.
- Iqbal, M. T. (2019). "Tracing Pashtun ethno- nationalist trends", Pakistan Today, October 19.
- Jalal, Ayesha. (2009). Democracy and Authoritarianism in South Asia, UK: Cambridge Press.
- Khan, N. (2020). “We need your help: Baloch chief minister’s plea to leaders in exile “ Arab News
- Kennedy, C. (1992). “The Politics of Ethnicity in Sindh, “Asian Survey, l31(10),
- Kasi, A. (2009). Balochistan Nationalists Rejects Packageâ€, Dawn, November 25.
- Khan, I. (2018). “PTI secures lead of four million over PML-Nâ€, Dawn, July 29.
- Kanwal, L. (2017). “Political Development in Pakistan: Continuity and Change during Zardari Period†Journal of the Research Society of Pakistan,
- Khan, T. (2019). "The murder of Arman Loni", Daily Times, February 7.
- Kannan, S. (2019). An Indian Scholar (Personal talk).
- Hassan, K. (2002). Rearview Mirror: Four Memoirs, Lahore: Alhamra Publishing.
- Kahn, A. A. (2003). “A test case for Jamali’s government, Dawn, January 31.
- Kenoyer, J. M. (1998). Ancient Cities of the Indus Valley Civilization.Oxford University Press, Karachi.
- Leeza, K. (2019). "Can federalism defuse ethnic tensions? The case of Pakistan's South Punjab province, https://southasianvoices.org/can-federalism-diffuse-ethnic-tensions-the-case-of-pakistans-south-punjab-province
- Malik, R. M. (2019). "The PTM conundrumâ€, The Nation, June 5
- Marri, M. (2019). Former Senator, conversation on phone.
- Malik, I. H. (1998). The Politics of Ethnic Conflict in Sindh. Nation, Region, and Community in Pakistan. In Subrata K. Mitra& R. Allison Lewis (ed) Subnational Movements in South Asia, New Delhi: Segment Books, 08- 81.
- Muhammad, H. (2011). Causes of military intervention in Pakistan: A Revisionist Discourse, Journal of South Asia,12(2),
- Rashid, Q. (2016). "Pakistan and the problem of nation building"Daily Times, https://dailytimes.com.pk/89652/pakistan-and-the-problem-of-nation-building/
- Rais, R. B. (2008). “Dialogue on Provincial Autonomy", talk in seminar on organised by Aid Action Organization in Ambassador Hotel Lahore, August 6 2008.
- Rehman, T. (1996). Language and Politics in Pakistan, Karachi: Oxford University Press.
- Rehman, T. (2020). "The language of oppression", The News, September 20.
- Rais, R. B. (2003). Building Nation and State in Pakistan. In Charles Kennedy, Carl Ernst, Kathleen McNeil, & David Gilmartin, Pakistan at the MillenniumKarachi: Oxford University Press.
- Rizvi, H. A. (2008). “The Legacy of Military Rule in Pakistan “Daily Times.
- Rias, R. B. (2002). "Politics of Ethnicity and Democratic Process in Pakistan" Ethno- Nationalism and the Emerging World Disorder Gurnam Sing (ed), New Dheli: Kanishka Publishers, Distributors,
- Rais, R. B. (2007). “Where do we go from here?†Daily Times, May, 15
- Rais, R. B. (2008). Recovering the Frontier State: War, Ethnicity and State in Afghanistan, USA: Lexington Books
- Rais, R. B. (2018). Islam, Ethnicity, and Power Politics: Constructing Pakistan’s National Identity, Karachi: Oxford Press.
- Shah, A. H. (2020). "The movement that refuses to go away", Friday Times, December 18.
- Shahid, K. (2020). Interview, Shahid is a local citizen and work as a storekeeper in Peshawar, he moved from Waziristan after the military operation in 2016.
- Sayeed, K. (1966). The Political System of Pakistan, Printed in Pakistan by arrangements with Houghton Mifflin.
- Hussain, S. S. (2001). Ayub, Bhutto and Zia: How they fell victim to their own plans, Lahore: Sang-e-Meel.
- Sirat, S. (2020). “Amore PTM leaders arrested, Afghans protest Pashteen’s detentionâ€, TOLO News, January 28.
- Solangi, F. A. (2005). “Sindhi Nationalist Movement:1988-2004, unpublished paper.Department of Social Science, University of Management Sciences Lahore.
- Siddiqi, H. U. (2020). “Bones of The Cityâ€, Dawn, September 17.
- Siddiqui, Z. (2018). “Has Imran Khan struck a chord with his support for the PTM? Dawn, June 27.
- Shah, A. R. (2020). "The rise of the Pashtun protection movement (PTM): Polemics and conspiracy theories", Asian Affairs, May.
- Sangi, S. (2019). “Behind the progressive Facade: PPP’s tactics to maintain dominance in Sindhâ€, Dawn, February 19.
- Siddiqui, N. (2019). “US designates Balochistan Liberation Army as global terrorists Groupâ€. July 2.
- The News. (2021). "CNICs of Manzoor Pashteen, Mohsin Dawar to be blocked: ATC", March 6.
- Ticku, N. (2020). "Are India, Afghanistan using Pashtun against Pakistan? Expert Analysis". The Eur Asian, March 12.
- Theodorson, G. A. & Achilles G. T. (1969). A Modern Dictionary of Sociology, New York: Crowell Co.
- Trofimove, Y. (2009). "Refugees Crisis Inflames Ethnic Strife in Pakistan" The Wall Street Journal, May30. https://www.wsj.com/articles/SB124363974401367773
- The News. (2018). "It will be shameful to vote Imran Khan: Ayaz Sadiq" July 17. https://www.thenews.com.pk/print/342570-it-ll-be-shameful-to-vote-for-imran-ayaz-sadiq.
- Waqar, U. (2019). “PTM assault on the stateâ€, The Nation, June 4.
- WanGchuk, R. (2019). "An Ode to Frontier Gandhi, the Man of Peace who Fought for a United India", April 2. https://www.thebetterindia.com/177052/frontier-gandhi-khan-abdul-ghaffar-khan-freedom-fighter-india
- Waseem. (2020). An interview with Baloch young man.
- Yousaf, R. (2020). "Towards reconciliation"? The News, June 21.
- Zahir, N. (2020). A retired army officer, based in Canada. Personal talk.
Cite this article
-
APA : Akhtar, N., & Jan, I. (2022). Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong. Global Strategic & Security Studies Review, VII(II), 41-52. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsssr.2022(VII-II).06
-
CHICAGO : Akhtar, Nasreen, and Inamullah Jan. 2022. "Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong." Global Strategic & Security Studies Review, VII (II): 41-52 doi: 10.31703/gsssr.2022(VII-II).06
-
HARVARD : AKHTAR, N. & JAN, I. 2022. Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong. Global Strategic & Security Studies Review, VII, 41-52.
-
MHRA : Akhtar, Nasreen, and Inamullah Jan. 2022. "Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong." Global Strategic & Security Studies Review, VII: 41-52
-
MLA : Akhtar, Nasreen, and Inamullah Jan. "Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong." Global Strategic & Security Studies Review, VII.II (2022): 41-52 Print.
-
OXFORD : Akhtar, Nasreen and Jan, Inamullah (2022), "Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong", Global Strategic & Security Studies Review, VII (II), 41-52
-
TURABIAN : Akhtar, Nasreen, and Inamullah Jan. "Ethnic Conflict, Politics and Pakistan's Security Dilemma: What Went Wrong." Global Strategic & Security Studies Review VII, no. II (2022): 41-52. https://doi.org/10.31703/gsssr.2022(VII-II).06