ISLAMABAD, Oct 13: It is the responsibility of the state to promote religious tolerance and discourage sectarian violence in Pakistan by endeavouring, in earnest, to democratise the society, prominent intellectuals stressed at a meeting held here on Monday.

Speaking at a seminar organized by the SDPI, Keramat Ali, director, Pakistan Institute of Labour Education and Research (PILER), emphasized the nexus between the bloodshed which had been perpetrated over the past quarter century in the name of religion, on one hand, and the processes hindering the evolution of Pakistan into a democratic and progressive polity.

Deploring the use of intelligence agencies for objectives alien to the development of democracy in Pakistan and the distortion of the real teachings of Islam, he said the institutions of the state had failed in their duty to exercise vigilance over elements misusing Islam for their selfish ends.

The spate of assassinations and calls to violence by various leaders were contrary to the Quaid-i-Azam’s vision of a democratic, progressive, welfare state, observed Mr Ali, calling upon the government to curb the misuse of mosques for fanning hatred and inciting people to violence.

The main speakers were Lt-Gen Hamid Gul (retired), former director-general of ISI, and Mr Zafarullah, a social activist working with an NGO.

As a manifestation of growing awareness of the worsening law and order situation connected with sectarian violence, a large number of people from the academic, journalistic and social circles attended.

Gen Gul, opening the discussion, traced the history of sectarian violence in Pakistan to the period when the government launched its ‘Islamization’ policy in the late 1970s.

This gave rise to concern among the minority Shia community which demanded enforcement of an exclusive personal life for itself. Then came the Iranian revolution and its policy of exporting that revolution, albeit by non-military means. As perceived by the intelligence community in Pakistan, such developments were capable of dividing the loyalties of the minority community.

The establishment of Anjuman Sipah-i-Sahaba and Sipah-i- Mohammad was part of those developments, he said and went on to absolve the ISI and other intelligence services of any responsibility for the relentless increase in sectarian violence or, for that matter, the creation of ISI.

He also asserted that the Jehadi organizations were not involved in sectarian violence.

Gen Gul ended his discourse by minimizing the enormity of the threat posed by sectarian violence to the socio-political fabric of the society, contending that the society was still not divided along sectarian lines.

Mr Zafarullah took issue with Gen Gul on his assertions and observed that Sipah-i-Sahaba had been operating under six identities within Pakistan and outside it.

He said financial issues were inextricably linked with their activities, as evident from the accusations of embezzlement traded publicly by Maulana Masood Azhar and other Jehadi leaders.

He cited a letter from late Maulana Azam Tariq published in the Herald magazine in which it was asserted that he had raised Rs30 million within Pakistan in addition to dollars and Rials received from other countries.

In many cases, Mr Zafarullah continued, murders could be traced to dispute over the consumption of funds which run into billions of rupees as per the admissions made publicly by the leaders of Jehadi/sectarian organizations in their own journals.

Jehad, he said, had become a lucrative industry, but the rug was swept from under their feet in the post-9/11 events followed by sudden change of the government’s policy. In the new situation, a large number of people working with these organizations suddenly found themselves without jobs.

The need for rehabilitating them in society was completely neglected, leaving them to indulge in assassinations as a lucrative alternative.

The role of various institutions of the state came under criticism by members of the audience. It was noted that the government had flouted its own declared policy not to rub shoulders with organizations involved in fanning of sectarian intolerance no matter what camouflage they assumed.

Thus, they noted, they were allowed not only to contest the elections, but also accepted as allies of the government.

While Gen Gul waxed apologetic about the role of the intelligence agencies, other speakers observed that they had been actively interfering in political affairs, thus subverting the democratic process.

Secularization of Pakistani polity was the only solution to the problems of democratic and economic development of Pakistan and the elimination of factors which dissipate its energies in hatreds based on religious intolerance, it was stressed.

Although Gen Gul opposed the suggestion on the ground of its practicability, it was pointed out that he himself had identified ‘Islamization’ as the starting point for sectarian violence.