ABSTRACT
Chapter 8 discusses the four disturbing trends in sectarian violence that have emerged in Pakistan in recent years: the escalation of long-standing sectarian violence between Sunnis and Shias accompanied by the growing links between Pakistani sectarian groups and global jihadis; the growth of religious extremism among the Barelvi who previously had been regarded as a quietest inclusive sect; the growing conflicts within Sunni Islam between followers of the Deobandi and Barelvi traditions; and, finally, the recent appearance in Pakistan of the violent and virulently anti-Shia Islamic State. An understanding of all of these developments is essential when attempting to analyse the prospect for future peace in Pakistan.
