AWKUM confers PhD degree on Syed Akhtar Ali Shah

PESHAWAR: The Abdul Wali Khan University Mardan (AWKUM) has conferred on Syed Akhtar Ali Shah a degree of Doctor of Philosophy (PhD) in the discipline of Political Science.

Syed Akhtar Ali served in the police and Home departments in senior positions.

His thesis was on “Fault Lines in Governance and challenges of militancy and extremism in Pakistan” investigating the relationship between militancy and problem of governance in Pakistan with special reference to former Fata and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa.

He established that militancy, terrorism and violent extremism were the outcome of poor governance resulting out of thinking of inequality in economic, political and cultural sphere of life, relative deprivation, exclusion and marginalisation, excessive use of religious card, use of non-state actors as a state policy, over-centralisation, lack of access to justice, inefficiency and absence of law and identity crisis have led to militancy and extremism. The militant extremism was also a source of instability caused by misinterpretation of Islam.

The other element leading to militancy was lack of exercise of state authority, lack of sharing power and corruption and the perception of a clash of civilization. In a survey conducted during the research majority agreed that the intensity of religious radicalisation increased after 9/11, weak governance led to radicalisation, present wave of radicalisation was the result of Pakistan role in Afghan war (1978-89).

Religious radicalisation was the result of military dictatorship and policies of the government. Flaws in the existing judicial system and identity crisis also led to radicalisation with violent non-state actors further compounding the problem.

The study recommended that all functionaries of state must function within the framework of the Constitution and law, control the violent non-state actors by strengthening institutions.

Religious card should be carefully separated from the domain of politics and zero tolerance observed against violent extremism.

The state policy in conjunction with promotion with interfaith harmony and peace must be synchronised and efforts should be made to develop multiple discourse at the state level.

Efficiency, effectiveness, transparency, accountability and justice must be ensured in all institutions. There must be collaboration and coordination in civil-military relations within the framework of the constitution. Rehabilitation of the internally displaced persons and their resettlement with the goal of sustainable provision of public services must be ensured.

Simultaneous action against hardcore militants by partners in war on terrorism should be ensured. Capacity building of civil law enforcing agencies in areas of operation, intelligence gathering and investigation should be done. Crash programmes for compulsory education and quality of education must be enhanced. Sense of deprivation and identity crisis, main factors of militancy and extremism, must be reduced.