Sectarian War: Pakistan's Sunni-Shia Violence and its links to the Middle East

by Khaled Ahmed

Sectarian War is an account of how the Shia-Sunni conflict was relocated from the Middle East to Pakistan after the rise of Revolutionary Iran in 1979, through the mediating agency of the rulers in Pakistan and the proliferation of the religious seminaries funded by Saudi Arabia. It examines
the death of General Zia in the context of the sectarian conflict, goes into the process of production of apostatizing fatwas in Pakistan followed by violent action by organizations formed from the non-state actors used by the state for its covert wars.

Sectarian War also delves into the state of the Shia communities in the Middle East and their historical connections with South Asia. It examines the rise of Shia culture in Lucknow and its formative influence on the rise of the Shia in Iraq, with a parallel scrutiny of the rise of Wahhabism and its
infiltration of India in the eighteenth century, and records the origins and history of organizations doing sectarian terrorism in Pakistan and their linkages to Al Qaeda whose trajectory into a sectarian identity is also traced to the rise of Al Zarqawi as a parallel leader in Iraq. Sectarian War
facilitates an understanding of the phenomenon of terrorism in Pakistan today.

Genres: Pakistan, Islam, Religion

369 pages, Hardcover

First published March 15, 2010

About the author

Khaled Ahmed was a Pakistani journalist and writer. He received the Presidential Pride of Performance Medal in 2013.

Reviews

[Aarish Khan · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book is a decent analysis of the Shia-Sunni violence in Pakistan—and some important developments in Pakistan in the context of the Iran-Saudi Arabia sectarian rivalry—especially after the Iranian Revolution of 1979.

I really enjoyed reading the first couple of chapters. I will add though that the author seemed to have lost steam in the middle part of the book. In any case, Khaled Ahmad has touched upon some controversial issues right from the first chapter and has substantiated his take on them with solid arguments and supporting references. Whether it’s his assertion that Jinnah was not an Ismaili but a converted Athna Asharia Shia or that Gen. Aslam Beg could be complicit in the ‘killing’ of Gen. Zia-ul-Haq, Ahmad brings some solid evidence to support his hypotheses. In the second chapter, Ahmed explains the history of the schism between the Shia and the Sunni quite well. He has also explained Wahabism as a distinct variant of Hanbalism and Salafism quite well (not to be confused with the latter two). He also lays down the developments of the sectarian interplay in Pakistan in pretty exhaustive, interesting, easy-to-read, and insightful narrative. Ahmed has also done well to connect the dots to establish the sectarian links (and perhaps ambitions) of Al-Qaeda.

His over-emphasis on viewing many complex developments through the prism of the sectarian schism might be a little too sweeping for the tastes of some readers (and I include myself). Lastly, the concluding chapter of the book doesn’t seem to do justice to the book. I think it could be written a lot better in light of all that is in the book. Actually, the concluding part talks more about the endgame in Afghanistan and Al-Qaeda’s ambitions rather than the sectarian war in Pakistan, and seems to end rather abruptly on the subject of sectarian violence in Pakistan.

[Muhammad Sohail · Rating 3 out of 5]

Ironic that author had to do a funded research to attack a funded intellectual movement, a movement which is presented as main cause behind sectarian violence as well as intellectual source for producing “jihadis” for a proxy wars in Afghanistan & Iraq in particular and “islamic terrorism” in general. Surprisingly, despite a major role of US behind the proxy war in Afghanistan it doesn’t get attention of the author and hence gets no share in responsibility either for intellectual or physical “iatrogenics” of this venture. He doesn’t see anything wrong on part of US policy makers which is a major ally of Salafi/ Wahabbi KSA for around one century.

This work can serve as compendium on major figures -ie, personalities and organisations- and events in Shia-Sunni sectarian conflict with special regard to the Sub-continent and Middle East. Intellectually, it is less impressive due to its being a journalistic level of work hence lacks depth required for the subject matter. There is lot of repetition which makes it a case of poor presentation as well.

[Haider Hussain · Rating 3 out of 5]

An interesting take on the Sunni-Shia divide especially in the context of India and Pakistan. However, barring first two chapters (and to some extent chapter 5 on Middle East), rest of the book mostly offers repetition of similar viewpoints. I would still recommend it for a novice reader though.

[Mansoor Azam · Rating 1 out of 5]

A funded research turned into book format results in this title. Not one, which I will recommend as THE book on the subject.

It is neither recommended for the novices who want to know about the issue or those with some knowledge about it intending to broaden theirs. This one not so gloriously falls short on both accounts. I think it served the purpose when it left the printing press; one more feather in the author's name (apologies for being cruel here)

There's less of empirical build up about the matter. This book is high on adrenaline. Makes use of catchy stuff taken from the popular news line and conspiracy theories. Highly repetitive, which is no mean feat to achieve in a volume with not so many leaves.

My advice, don't waste your bucks. I fortunately borrowed this one and happily returned

[Colin · Rating 1 out of 5]

This is a disorganized brain dump by the author. There are snippets of interesting details scattered throughout on the origins of groups like Sipah-e-Sahaba or the Zia regime's relations with Iran or the domestic Shia population, but chapter-long digressions on the history of the Sunni-Shia divide, or detours into the Gulf states that don't ever link back to Pakistan, fail to cohere into any sort of structured assessment of the issues raised in the title.

[Ahsan Raza · Rating 4 out of 5]

A complete ABC of Pakistan's seething Shia-Sunni conflict, and the resulting violence that spilled into the 1990s and the 2000s. The author gives detailed insight into the history of the opposing factions, with particular emphasis on the sub continent. The part dealing with the sectarian killings in urban Pakistan appears to be a long drawn newspaper investigative story, but then again, Mr Ahmed is a journalist. The intermittent spelling mistakes were a bit of a turn off though.

[Ehtesham Hassan · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's a detailed account of how sunni-shia conflict took roots in Pakistan. Author takes us to British India to trace the roots of this schism. Next chapter explains how Pakistani state adopted a Deobandi character and demonised low-church sects. Main hotspots of the conflict and their internal dynamics has been beautifully explained. Sectarian death squads like SSP and their genesis with the help of state-sponsoring is also well explained.Overall this is a good book to understand the basics of the conflict.

[Shozab Khan · Rating 5 out of 5]

Phenomenal research on the cruel sectarian rifts of subcontinent, middle east, arab and Asia. The book offers a great in depth analysis of why islam's two greatest sects have never been able to reconcile. The brutality of the Puritan sunnis upon Shia is the main reason why they have drifted further apart. Over all it is a very well researched book, very blunt about Pakistan's spread of lethal sectarianism since Zia's time. Anyone who needs to understand the great divide of Muslims must read this book.

[Muhammad Jahangeer Thaheem · Rating 5 out of 5]

Brilliant peace of writing. Sectarian war in Pakistan and its roots to middle east, the most important thing that writer briefly describes the true story and main causes behind this wave of war.

[Zaryab Baloch · Rating 4 out of 5]

Secterian history of Pakistan discussed briefly along with major non-state actors. Good to develop basic understanding of sectarianism.

[Cyrus Tahir · Rating 3 out of 5]

The book starts of slightly dryly but if you’re interested in the Sectarian conflict and especially how it plays out in Pakistan- this is a good book. Not too incisive but makes for a better than fair read.

[Syed Behroze]

read nahi hoti

[Abdul · Rating 4 out of 5]

Khaled Ahmad wrote a wonderful book on the topic of sectarian warfare in Pakistan and its genesis.