However, orphaned by the death of its ideological father, violent extremism had decreased significantly by the mid-1990s, even though the propagation of extremist ideology continued unchecked in madressahs and elsewhere. The birth of extremism in Pakistan obviously occurred under the Ziaul Haq regime. However, is Pakistan really suffering from the incurable cancer of extremism, as many people - even well-wishers - conclude? Are extremists poised to take over? We must trace the trajectory of extremism in Pakistan to answer that. SALMAN Taseer’s murder last month was shocking and condemnable, as was the subsequent celebratory reaction among certain circles.
