If we look at the
international news, dozens of Islamic countries around the world are
fighting extremist movements and armed struggles for supremacy. From
Nigeria in Africa to Philippines in Asia, dozens of states are locked in a
struggle against these non-state actors. The areas of insurgency or
areas most affected by extremism are those where there is virtually no
economic development. Alternatively, it can also be concluded that
“international monetary agencies” don't allow any industrial
development in such areas.
Experts have already
pointed out such areas and they include Pakistani ex-tribal zone
(especially Waziristan), Southern Afghanistan, Eastern Syria, North
Somalia, Yemen, North-West of Iraq, Fezzan Libya, North-East of
Nigeria, Eastern Turkey. Some may also include Xinjiang (China) in
this list.
The Khyber-Pukhtoonkhwa
(KPK) province of Pakistan is also suffering from economic depression
due the same reason. The industrial development that was done in KPK
was due to moderate and progressive elite of the province.
An article published in
the Daily Statesman, Peshawar on 16 May 2005 about Muhammad Amir Khan
Hoti noted, “Aside from politics, he also rendered services for the
uplift of NWFP as an industrialist. He can be rightly termed as the
"founder of the Industrial base" in the province. It was he
who established a sugar mill in the province in the early years of
the creation of Pakistan. He also had the honour of becoming the host
of the President of the World Bank Mr. McNamara at his farmhouse in
Chail Village on the Mardan-Takhtbahi road. It was in this meeting,
that McNamara extended loan for the establishment of a paper mill at
Charsadda, which got prominence as the Pakistan Paper
Corporation (PPC). In this way, Col (Retd) Mohammad Amir Khan laid the
foundations for industries in his province”.
The traditional approach
of experts on the subject has been to address the root causes of
extremism which is lack of employment, frustration and lack of
political freedom among other factors.
Lack of economic progress
is not the only factor which promotes extremism. It is also the
extreme frustration of the youth that leads to it. In the recent
past, Saudi Arabia has been criticized internationally for not
providing any outlets to its youth leading to their extremist
tendencies. Prince Muhammad Bin Salman is conscious of this issue and
is planning to provide outlets to the youth with an entire city
dedicated to it.
Political freedom also
contributes towards control of extremism. Thats why international
geopolitical experts have been advising Bachar Al-Assad of Syria to
allow freedom for politics in his country. While the lack of
political freedom can be addressed, the economic development is not
easy to achieve because it is like a vicious circle.
The problem is that
nobody wants to invest in areas affected by extremism and the
internationally powerful monetary groups don't usually authorize
development in such areas until and unless people change and adapt
themselves. We see that Northern Afghanistan is developing at a faster
pace (with oil refineries and road networks to Central Asia States
etc) compared to the Southern Afghanistan and the reason is that
Northern Afghanistan is moderate compared to the South.
Education or Re-Education
seems to be the only salvation.
