Young boys reading the Koran at a madrasa in Multan, in southern Punjab Province. The concentration of madrases in southern Punjab has become an urgent concern in the face of Pakistan's expanding insurgency. The madrasas offer no instruction beyond the memorizing of the Koran, creating a widening pool of young minds that are sympathetic to militancy.
The caption to another photograph at the slideshow reads, "The impoverished expanse of rural southern Punjab, where the Taliban have begun making inroads with the help of local militant groups, has one of the highest concentrations of madrases in the country.
The full article is available here.
isn't that true of all uprisings? someone taking advantage of the poor and ignorant to promote and carry out their ideology
ReplyDeleteI haven't been that focused on the Taliban-Pakistan conflict as I should have. I don't know if it's because I don't want to think about Pakistan near collapse or that I don't think it's that big of a deal...
ReplyDeleteI think it's the former.
You need to read Three Cups of Tea, Donald. The key to so many issues in this part of the world is all about either the horrible standards of education on offer, or the total lack thereof for girls.
ReplyDeletePoor kids. I feel so bad for them stuck there like that. They don't know any better and just do what they're told. I wish I could take them all in and give them a good life..
ReplyDeleteWhile I feel pity for these orphans who will never have a chance, if you see the tapes, they rock back and forth while memorizing the Koran. But, make no mistake, as adults, they will be the next suicide bombers and will attack us. We better pay attention. Our Islamic allies are still allowing these Madrasas to thrive.
ReplyDelete