Pakistan, since its inception in 1947, has wrestled with an identity crisis rooted in its ideological foundation, governance structures, and national policies. One of the most heated and misunderstood debates in the contemporary Pakistani discourse is whether religion or terrorism poses a greater threat to the nation's stability, progress, and global reputation. Many critics, both within and outside the country, often blur the lines between the two, leading to a flawed understanding that blames religion, particularly Islam, for the rise of terrorism in Pakistan.

But the truth lies deeper and is more nuanced. The real problem is not religion, but the terrorist mindset—the radicalization, extremism, and misuse of Islam by certain groups for political, strategic, and ideological gains. While religion, especially Islam, promotes peace, compassion, and co-existence, it is the distortion of religious teachings by terrorist outfits and their sponsors that has engulfed Pakistan in a vicious cycle of violence, instability, and international isolation. This article seeks to clarify this distinction, explore the true essence of Islam, and highlight how terrorism—not religion—is Pakistan’s most pressing challenge. The rise of religiously motivated terror groups in Pakistan like the Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan, Lashkar-e-Taiba , Jaish-e-Mohammed , and others has led many to assume that religion itself is the problem. This assumption is both dangerous and incorrect.
These groups don’t represent the true values of Islam. They represent a warped ideology, often fuelled by political motives, foreign interventions, and strategic depth policies. Their actions are in contradiction to Islamic principles, not a representation of them. Pakistan's decision to use certain terrorist groups as proxies in Afghanistan and Kashmir has backfired. Initially created to serve geopolitical goals, these groups eventually turned inwards, targeting the very society that bred them. Thousands of innocent civilians, police personnel, army soldiers, and religious minorities have died not because of religion—but because of terrorism unleashed by radicalized factions operating under the veil of religion.
Contrary to what extremist groups preach, Islam strictly prohibits violence against innocent people, and its teachings are filled with verses and traditions that promote mercy, justice, and coexistence. This powerful verse underscores the sanctity of human life in Islam. Terrorism, which targets innocents indiscriminately, is a direct violation of this principle. Extremist ideologies that force others to adopt their beliefs or die are acting against the very essence of Islam, which promotes freedom of faith.
The Prophet Muhammad established peace pacts with non-Muslims, such as the Treaty of Hudaybiyyah, and treated Jews and Christians with respect and justice .Even during war, he strictly forbade harm to women, children, old people, and even trees and animals. Terrorists who detonate bombs in public places or kill indiscriminately have no right to invoke his name. Extremist groups frequently distort the concept of Jihad to justify their actions. In reality: Jihad in Islam is primarily a struggle for self-improvement, truth, and justice. Armed struggle is allowed only in self-defense and must adhere to strict ethical guidelines. Suicide bombings and indiscriminate killings are not Jihad—they are murder. Since 2001, over 80,000 Pakistanis have lost their lives in terror-related violence. The 2014 APS Peshawar massacre, where 149 people including 132 children were killed by Tehrik-i-Taliban gunmen, shocked the world. Such atrocities are not driven by religion—they are driven by extremist ideologies.
According to Pakistan's own Ministry of Finance reports, terrorism has cost the country over $120 billion in economic losses. Investors flee, tourism declines, and infrastructure collapses whenever terrorism surges. Religion does not crash economies—terrorism does.Pakistan has faced sanctions, FATF grey-listing, travel advisories, and diplomatic isolation due to its failure to curb terror financing and harboring of terrorist networks. Countries do not boycott religious nations—they isolate terror-exporting ones. Terrorist groups like Tehrik-i-Taliban Pakistan: and Lashkar-e-Jhangvi have attacked Shias, Ahmadis, Christians, Hindus, Sikhs, and even fellow Sunni Muslims who differ in opinion. This has torn the fabric of Pakistan’s religious diversity and sectarian harmony, something Islam encourages preserving.
The crisis in Pakistan stems not from the Quran or the Sunnah, but from a toxic mindset that glorifies violence, preaches intolerance, and celebrates martyrdom in ways that Islam never condones .While many madrassas serve genuine religious purposes, a small fraction have become breeding grounds for extremism. Funded by foreign money, often Saudi or Gulf-backed, they preach hatred, distort history, and indoctrinate children with terrorist ideologies. Extremists use digital platforms, religious sermons, and manipulated interpretations of Hadith to lure youth. They promise paradise, honor, and vengeance, but deliver death, suffering, and eternal disgrace. Pakistan's double standards—cracking down on anti-state terrorists while letting pro-state terrorists flourish—have allowed the extremist mindset to fester. As long as some groups are seen as "strategic assets", terrorism will continue to plague the country.
Islamic scholars, community leaders, and peace activists across Pakistan are now reclaiming Islam from the radicals. Organizations like Paigham-e-Pakistan, a state-backed fatwa signed by over 1,800 clerics, have declared all forms of terrorism, suicide attacks, and hate speech as un-Islamic. From Maulana Tariq Jameel’s interfaith harmony sermons to young imams spreading tolerance on social media, the new wave of religious leadership is turning Islam into a force for unity, not division.
There is a growing movement to modernize madrassas by introducing science, logic, and ethics in their syllabi. A faith that cannot withstand questions, diversity, or modernity is bound to be hijacked. Reforms are the key to resisting that hijacking. The new generation of Pakistanis is increasingly rejecting extremist narratives. They want jobs, education, peace, and progress, not sectarian wars or ideological jihad. Youth-led organizations are countering online radicalization. On-Government Organizations are working in deradicalization centers to rehabilitate former terrorists. Universities are hosting seminars on tolerance, Sufism, and peaceful coexistence. These trends show that while terrorism may still cast a long shadow, it is not undefeatable—especially when religion is reclaimed as a tool of peace.
It is time to stop blaming Islam for the sins of terrorists. Islam is not the problem—it is the only antidote that can fight back against the terror it is falsely associated with. The extremist mindset is the real cancer in Pakistani society—fed by poor governance, ideological manipulation, foreign interference, and political expediency. Religion, when interpreted in its true spirit, can heal, unite, and rebuild the nation. Pakistan must make a clear choice: to confront terrorism as a criminal and ideological threat, and reclaim Islam as a force for peace, not propaganda. The path to progress lies not in fear of faith but in faith rooted in truth. Because the day Pakistan understands that it is not Islam that has failed, but the terrorists who have hijacked it, is the day the nation begins to heal.