Do not ignore the distinction between Deobandi jihadis and Salafi (wahhabi) jihadis in Pakistan

Many international and national analysts, scholars and journalist usually do not take into account some important distinctions between various jihadi and sectarian groups operating in Pakistan.

In his op-ed (in daily Express, 7 June 2010), Muhammad Amir Hashim Khakwani points towards some important distinctions between the deobandi jihadis (Taliban) and the salafi (wahabi) jihadis (Lashker-e-Taiba) operating in Pakistan.

Overall, it seems that:

1. The Salafi or Wahabi (Ahl-e-Hadith) jihadis of Lashker-e-Taiba (also camouflaged as Jamaat-ud-Dawa) are completely under the ISI’s control. In the current jihadi landscape, they are not involved in any act of terror against Pakistan Army or within the state of Pakistan.

2.  The Deobandi jihadis of Taliban (most if not all of them) are no longer controlled by the ISI. Because of their ideological affiliation with the Afghan Taliban (of Mullah Omar), they have taken a much tougher and violent stance against the state of Pakistan and its armed forces, and are involved in most acts of terror within the country.

3.  The Punjabi Taliban (dominated by terrorists of Sipah-e-Sahaba aka Lashkar-e-Jhangavi – a sectarian deobandi organisation) are now ideological leaders and mentors of the Taliban militants in Pakistan (known as Tehreek-e-Taliban Pakistan (TTP)).

4. Taliban in general and the Punjabi Taliban (Sipah-e-Sahaba) in particular are currently very much annoyed with Hafiz Muhammad Saeed and his Lashkar-e-Taiba because of the latter’s persistence in tightly following the ISI’s commandments. Therefore, Hafiz Saeed’s life is currently under threat from the deobandi terrorists of Punjabi Taliban / Sipah-e-Sahaba. Here the ideological differences between Deobandis and Salafis seem to further compound their political differences in the current jihadi landscape in Pakistan.

5. Extremist Deobandis (TTP, Sipah-e-Sahab) consider it legitimate to attack all those Deobandis who are opposed to the TTP’s violent anti-military establishment agenda and tactics. Attacks on Maulana Hassan Jan shaheed (a Deobandi scholar from Peshawar) and Maulana Fazlur Rehman (a pro-military establishment religio-political leader) are an example of this phenomenon.

Given that this important perspective is often ignored in national and international press, we are cross-posting Khakwani’s article (in Urdu) on this topic.

Related articles:

ریاض سہیل – بریلوی دیوبندی تاریخ اور اختلافات

Evidence of extremist Deobandi literature brainwashing suicide bombers of Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba – by Farhan Q

Hijacking a faith: How an extremist Deobandi ideology rules the Barelvi majority? – by Fawad Manzoor

Deoband and Terrorism

Sectarian terrorism in Pakistan during 2009 – By B. Raman

In defense of our Salafi (Ahl-e-Hadith) brothers and sisters

Deobandi terrorists of Sipah-e-Sahaba rule the country while Pakistani leaders look the other way – by B. Raman

Finally, the Deobandi awakening against Taliban terrorists?

A tribute to Maulana Ubaidullah Sindhi: The most impressive representative of Deobandi Islam

ICG Report: ‘Radical Deobandi groups source of Pakistan terror’

Shame on you Maulana Tariq Jamil and other Tablighi Jamaat Mullahs; You will never condemn suicide attacks by terrorists coz you provide footsoldiers

Extremist Deobandis’ war on people’s Islam — by Yasser Latif Hamdani

Why are some Pakistanis in a state of denial about the Taliban and Sipah-e-Sahaba? The LUBP Denial Archive

Kafir kafir Shia kafir, jo na manay wo bhi kafir – by Zalaan

Just who is not a kafir? – by Amir Mir

Thank you, Allama Dr Tahir-ul-Qadri

A brief history of extremism in Pakistan – by Hassan Amin

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