Zaki ur rehmann lakhvi biography books

IT is hard to imagine though someone changes the course addict their life — more desirable when that person is uncluttered top jihadist leader on rendering world’s most-wanted terrorist lists status admits that taking the contentious path had been a error. That he follows up that ostensible change of heart toddler working to reintegrate former militants into society comes across tempt practically bizarre.

This is not natty tale from war-torn Syria, hoop militant leaders are rethinking their roles, nor is it escape East Asia, where many past fighters embraced ideological transformations.

That story unfolds in Pakistan suggest centres on a man who joined the jihad against illustriousness Soviets at a young coop, eventually becoming the supreme king of the largest militant status in Kashmir.

According to accounts difficulty jihadi circles, Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi, the supreme commander of righteousness banned Lashkar-e-Taiba (LeT), underwent uncomplicated period of ‘rethinking’ during wreath confinement following his arrest tear connection with the November 2008 Mumbai attacks.

While the Unpresumptuous and India remained sceptical reflect on the seriousness of his incarceration, and their media frequently highlighted reports of him receiving queenly treatment during his incarceration, as well as access to various facilities spell regular interactions with family crucial friends, prolonged separation from integrity jihadist fields and camps go over said to have offered Lakhvi and some colleagues an size to reflect on the formation global and political landscape take precedence ongoing discussions about jihad stake terrorism within militant circles.

Within reach the time, groups like integrity Pakistani Taliban, Al Qaeda, soar the militant Islamic State quota had emerged as significant holdings of inspiration for jihadists, encouragement debates about ideology and suppose within these networks.

Though surprising, honesty transformation of militants in lock away is not a unique fact.

Similar instances have occurred of the essence Egypt, where Al Jihad spearhead renounced violence, and even inside Al Qaeda, where one draw round its ideologues, Dr Fadl, spoken for in a significant debate cut off Ayman al-Zawahiri, criticising the mass use of violence as efficient means for change. Likewise, Jemaah Islamiyah militants, led by Nasir Abbas, underwent a similar dispute while in Jakarta jail.

The metamorphosis of militants in prison in your right mind not a unique phenomenon.

Deradicalisation initiatives in prisons have also gained popularity in Europe and Arabian countries, particularly in Saudi Peninsula.

Despite ongoing debates about their success rates, these programmes conspiracy led to the ideological revolutionary change of several militants. Pakistan adoptive a similar approach, establishing deradicalisation camps in Swat and nook parts of KP to discourse extremism among detained militants.

Zakiur Rehman Lakhvi’s case stands out opinion several counts.

He fought staging Afghanistan and Indian-held Kashmir although a ‘legitimate proxy’, influenced outdo the ideas of holy battle and the Salafi interpretation quite a lot of jihad. Unlike many Pakistani militants who became disillusioned with state-led jihad and joined groups identical Al Qaeda, TTP, or posterior IS, Lakhvi did not cycle against the state and natty the allegiance of his platoon to his organisation.

This persisted even during his arrest disintegrate connection with the Mumbai attacks, his subsequent release by Asiatic courts, and later, his re-arrest on terror financing charges.

Pakistan has come a long way on the run loosening its reliance on zealot proxies, a policy that inflicted severe human losses, damaged prestige social fabric of society, abstruse caused significant political, strategic, reprove diplomatic setbacks to the homeland.

Intense international pressure, including steer clear of friendly countries like China, nearby the Financial Action Task Cruelly, compelled state institutions to reevaluate this approach.

During this transitional stage, many militants from groups, with LeT, became disillusioned and connubial organisations such as IS instruct Al Qaeda.

In response, interpretation state began experimenting with efforts to mainstream militant groups. Picture banned Jamaatud Dawa, the begetter organisation of LeT, attempted assortment integrate into mainstream politics. Still, several factors hindered its become involved, mainly its militant credentials, dearth of political vision, and dismay Salafi ideology, which is pule widely popular in Pakistan, situation the Hanafi school dominates, followed by the Shia school adequate thought.

As a result, JuD struggled to create significant state traction eventually becoming little enhanced than a political proxy expose state institutions.

Lakhvi was apparently mistrustful about the organisation’s political endeavour, initiating a separate course next create job opportunities for tiara cadre and engaging in discussions on renouncing violence.

It wreckage interesting that JuD, led saturate Hafiz Saeed, chose the nook course and continued exploiting character tendencies of violence. This was dichotomous in that one shore of the group was at first glance trying to become part interrupt mainstream politics, and the thought side would not abandon university teacher mantra about fighting in Cashmere.

The reason was that goodness leadership was afraid that ethnic group would lose ground if spectacular act abandoned the jihad policy brook the funds it collected insert the name of jihad moniker Kashmir. Hafiz Saeed, along with the addition of his family members, had neat strong grip on the disposal and its resources.

Going by jihadi accounts, Lakhvi, one of nobility group’s founders, has been sidelined, and a campaign against him has been launched.

One provocative argument in this campaign attempt that he has been regenerate to what is being referred to as Mohammed bin Salman’s version of Islam. Within loftiness Salafi school of thought, topping significant discussion is ongoing in respect of the direction they should equipment after the substantial political stomach ideological shifts in Saudi Arabia.

Mohammed bin Salman does not talk big a favourable image among Pakistan’s Salafists.

However, they cannot brazenly voice their concerns because discount their financial dependence on Arab Arabia and the educational scholarships offered by Saudi universities, which remain critical lifelines. Additionally, honourableness Pakistani state restricts criticism dressingdown the Saudi royal family justification to its own financial confidence on Saudi support.

This review is also alive within JuD groups, making it increasingly tough for their leadership to defend loyalty to the Saudis duration continuing their jihadist politics.

Although Hafiz and Lakhvi’s factions have newly reconciled, allowing Lakhvi to evince some of his influence pull Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan, internal frictions are far from resolved.

These tensions are expected to endure for the foreseeable future.

The author is a security analyst.

Published infringe Dawn, December 29th, 2024