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Zubair Azam works with the Peace Education and Development Foundation, a non-profit research, training and advocacy organization, with a focus on conflict resolution and countering violent extremism in Pakistan. He holds masters’ degrees in communications studies and history from Punjab University, Lahore, and has recently completed an MPhil in Peace and Conflict Studies from National Defence University, Islamabad. He has previously worked as a journalist with major news networks of Pakistan and is keenly interested in conflict, counter terrorism and de-radicalization.
Shiite Mobilization and the Transformation of Sectarian Militancy in Pakistan
Historically in Pakistan, Shiite militancy has remained reactive and selective. But with thousands of Pakistani Shiites being recruited and trained by Tehran, the landscape of sectarian militancy is likely to undergo a momentous transformation with a possibility of a head-on confrontation between militant fronts of the two opposing sects. This essay assesses the future impact of Shiite mobilization in Pakistan on the country and how it could transform the local sectarian conflict by fueling radicalization and increasing prospects for ISIS to penetrate and exploit local militant groups to its favor.
