Event:

On April 3rd 2013, the British Council released a survey about Pakistan's next generation goes to the ballot box. In the survey, it mentioned that almost 40% of Pakistani youth preferred Shariah as the best political system for the country. Presently, Pakistani youth between the ages of 18 to 29 make up more than 30% of the electorate and in the coming years this figure is likely to increase. The survey clearly suggests that the future of Pakistan lies in Islam as opposed to secular liberal democracy.

Comment:

The survey is the second one issued by the British council on Pakistan's next generation-the first being issued in 2009. Both surveys confirm that the Islamic resurgence amongst Pakistani youth. However, the latest survey sheds greater light on the Pakistani youth making Islam their primary identity. The survey reports: "75% of women describe themselves as religious or conservative and nearly 66% of men, dwarfing the numbers of moderates and liberals." These figures are extremely worrying for the Pakistan's secular ruling elite and signals that their embrace of democracy and western liberal values are increasingly out of touch with the youth of the country.

This is not the first survey that has shed light on the polarisation between Pakistan's ruling elite which is infatuated with liberal democracy and the rest of the population which covets Islam. In 2006, a Gallop poll found that 60% of all Pakistanis wanted Sharia as the only source of legislation. In 2011, a Gilani/Gallop poll reported that 67% of Pakistanis wanted an Islamic State. In 2012, a Pew poll entitled ‘The World's Muslims: Unity and Diversity' found that 94% of Pakistanis regarded Islam as very important in their lives. Furthermore, an overwhelming majority of Pakistanis also support the Caliphate. In April 2007, a poll conducted by University of Maryland/ WorldPublicOpinion.org reported that 65% of respondents in four countries- Egypt, Pakistan, Morocco and Indonesia-desired 'to unify all Islamic countries into a single Islamic state or Caliphate'. Other polls paint a similar picture that Pakistan's secular liberal elite are a dying breed increasingly at odds with its populace, and are sitting on an Islamic time bomb, which can explode at any-time.

America, the protector of Pakistan's dwindling secular elite is so worried about the velocity of the Islamic resurgence in the country that she routinely publicises international warnings about the dangers of Pakistan. In 2007, Newsweek magazine described Pakistan as the most dangerous place in the world. And in 2011, the chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Admiral Mike called Pakistan the epicentre of terrorism.

The changing attitudes of the Pakistanis both young and old towards Islam as identified by the aforementioned polls are not limited to Pakistan, rather they can be found in all parts of Muslim world.  Across the Muslim world both the young and old are working tirelessly for Islam to play a greater role in political life, and many yearn for the return of the caliphate as promised by the Messenger of Allah (saw) who said, "The Prophethood will last among you for as long as Allah wills, then Allah would take it away. Then it will be (followed by) a Khilafah "Caliphate" Rashida (rightly guided) according to the ways of the Prophethood. It will remain for as long as Allah wills, then Allah would take it away. Afterwards there will be a hereditary...leadership which will remain for as long as Allah wills, then He will lift it if He wishes. Afterwards, there will be biting oppression, and it will last for as long as Allah wishes, then He will lift it if He wishes. Then there will be a Khilafah "Caliphate" Rashida according to the ways of the Prophethood," then he kept silent. (Musnad Imam Ahmad (v/273); Reported by Nou'man ibn Basheer).

Abu Hashim