S/P/86. Does the political importance of Islam in Pakistan and Bangladesh lie in the fact that religion has served to bolster state power?

This paper discusses the nature of Islam’s role in Pakistani politics and whether it has proved a force for strengthening state power. It argues that although this certainly was Islam’s intended initial role, the cynical manipulation of the Islamic cause by Pakistan’s leaders has had unwanted implications on religion’s role in Pakistani politics. Furthermore, Zia’s Islamisation has created a culture where increasingly the relevance of Islam lies in its political activism and destabilising jihadic campaigns. These problems could be perceived to be a direct result of Zia’s attempts to consolidate his power through a shift from liberal Islamic views to a more fundamentalist (Shariat) framework. There is also mention of Bangladesh, where it is suggested that by missing the Islamisation program of Zia, it has held a more liberal position and hence religion has proved less destructive.