Madrassa ‘Stamp’ on Pakistani Society
Don’t be misled by the polished, Westernised image of Pakistani officials in suits and ties. They represent only a small elite. A much larger segment of Pakistan’s leadership and institutions—especially since 1979—are shaped by Madrassa education. Roughly 30–40% of them come from these religious schools, where some still believe the Earth is flat, the Sun orbits the Earth, and science is a threat to faith.
Pakistan was originally declared a secular state by its founder, Mohammad Ali Jinnah, in 1947 under British influence. However, by 1953 it had become an Islamic republic, and General Zia-ul-Haq’s regime in 1979 fully Islamized the nation. Zia promoted Madrassas, increasing their numbers from 900 in 1953 to over 50,000 today. A significant portion of army and intelligence recruits now come from these institutions.
The typical Madrassa student is a rural child (Pakistan remains about 80% rural), whose family cannot afford urban schooling. Over a 10-year period, students memorize the Quran and Hadith—Islamic sayings and laws attributed to the Prophet. The curriculum emphasizes a worldview where non-believers (Kafirs) must be converted or fought/Killed, and women are accorded an inferior status.
Historically, these teachings helped unite fragmented Arab tribes, fuelling military conquests from Spain to India. For centuries, Islamic armies expanded rapidly, until the superior military power of the West reversed the tide from the 18th century onward.
In the last 45 years, Pakistan’s Islamic identity has served as a psychological counterweight to a rising, more confident India. After losing three wars to India (1948, 1965, 1971), Pakistan sought parity through military aid from the U.S. and by stoking religious zeal, hoping it could tip the balance. They went ahead and stole formulae for nuclear weapons.
India, meanwhile, has focused on economic growth, science, and technology. If India prevails again in any future conflict, it will be a symbolic defeat for Pakistan’s ideological narrative. The gap in development between the two nations continues to widen.
Eventually, Pakistan may see a figure akin to Turkey’s Mustafa Kemal Atatürk of 1923 emerge—someone who rejects religious extremism and leads the country toward secularism and progress.