Militancy: A Myth or Reality - An Exploratory Study of the Socio-Economic and Religious Forces Behind Militancy in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, Pakistan

Abstract

Militancy; as one of the burning social issues creates numerous personal, social and psychological problems that persevere to vacate the roots of social development, integration, stability and personality development of the subject victims. Consequently, militancy or terrorism remains a major area of concern throughout the globe. Based on the analyses of secondary information collected through library method along-with qualitative analyses, this study emphasizes over the forces behind militancy that are hidden in the realm of social, cultural, economic and religious spheres spreading the waves of violence generally in Pakistan and particularly in the research area. The facts and figures so for derived from this study concludes that militancy is a multifaceted social menace found its seeds in the socio-economic inequalities like the presence of social injustice, prevalence of intense poverty and religious misinterpretation among the masses. The study recommends the strength of state institutions, provision of equal and quality education, alleviation of intense poverty, provision of equal employment opportunities for the youth, arrangement of periodic and monthly seminars and workshops regarding the menace of militancy and its negative consequences, positive interpretation of religious teachings and directives etc. in order to minimize the intensity of the quagmire of militancy.

Keywords: Militancy, violence, social injustice, deprivation, religious misinterpretation