MAJOR CONSEQUENCES OF THE SECTARIAN MILITANCY IN JHANG, PAKISTAN

Present research paper is based on the fieldwork conducted in 2005-2006 in Jhang. Present research mainly try to explore the magnitude of sectarian clashes occurred between Shi‘as and Deobandis in Jhang starting in early 1979. There are some researchers who consider that early divide between Shi‘a and Sunnis paid us with the sectarian clash. The penetration and magnitude of this conflict remained at its peak even in colonial period in Indian Subcontinent. But soon after the creation of Pakistan it was not evident in the case of Pakistan. Further, Jhang faced multifold waves of sectarian militancy during last three decades. It produced peril, disharmony, distrust, fear, killings and subsequent emigration. People lost their livelihoods during this frenzy of sectarianism. Present study on the one hand focuses on the emergence and evolution of the sectarianism in Muslim society while on the other hand it also discusses the major consequences of sectarianism in Jhang during last three decades including: i) disharmony in social structure; ii) disruption in economic structure; iii) emigration; iv) robbery; v) fears in performing religious ceremonies; and vi) target killings.