Pirs and the Politics of Security: Assessing the influence of Religious Authority on Pakistan’s Strategic Culture
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.58932/MULA0053Keywords:
Pirs, Politics, Strategic Culture, Religious Authority, Security DynamicsAbstract
This research work explores the role of Pirs, spiritual leaders within the ecclesiastic tradition of Pakistan, and their indeterminate role in transforming Pakistan’s strategic culture and security dynamics. Pirs have influenced Pakistan's social and political history by being agents of social cohesion and intermediaries between communities and the government in areas where government reach is limited. This study sheds light on how Pirs reinforce domestic stability, serve counter-radicalization functions, while shaping perceptions and narratives around national security issues. Although moderate Pirs advocate principles of tolerance to curb extremism, their influence can complicate governance, posing a risk where excessive reliance on religious authority might undermine secular spaces and marginalize certain sects. This study advocates a nuanced approach that allows counterterrorism partnerships with moderate Pirs, while ensuring the protection of secular governance. Therefore, Pakistan needs to tread carefully around religious influence and utilize local religious networks to keep the country as stable as possible without undermining state power. This investigation urges to broaden the analysis of the role of religious networks in different contexts and calls for appropriate strategies that reconcile religious and state authority to attain sustainable security and effective governance.
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