Madrassas = Pakistan's 'second line of defence': Minister wants to use seminary students against India

Operation Sindoor and India Pak war: Madrassas are Pakistan's 'second line of defence,' says defence minister Khwaja Asif: It is no secret that Pakistan has used many of its madrassas, the Islamic seminaries, as centres of indoctrination against India. Some sections of the global media had cried wolf after India's Operation Sindoor to avenge the Pahalgam terror attacks, saying the military action hit mosques and madrassas. This was the same line taken by Pakistan when India struck back with surgical strikes in 2016 and 2019 in response to terror attacks emanating from Pakistan. Now, Pakistan's defence minister himself has admitted the involvement of Pakistan's madrassas in activities against India, while calling them the 'second line of defence.'

No doubt that Madrassas are our second line of defence, says Khwaja Asif, in parliament

On the wee hours of May 7, India conducted a series of strikes inside Pakistan-occupied Kashmir and up to 100 kilometres inside Pakistan, targeting terror training camps, launchpads and indoctrination centres. 

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The Operation Sindoor was in response to the Pahalgam terror attack of April 22, in which 26 innocent men were killed by Pakistan-based terrorists. 

The victims, mostly Indian tourists, were chosen by the terrorists for the massacre based on their being from the Hindu religion.

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After the Operation Sindoor was over, Pakistan's defence minister Khwaja Asif made a speech in the National Assembly, the country's parliament. 

While speaking about how Pakistan will and can respond to Operation Sindoor, Asif talked about madrassas and students of madrassas.

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"There is no doubt that madrasas are our second defence line," he told parliament.

He used the words 'second defence line' in English, while most of his speech was in Urdu.

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"Madrasas and students of Madrasas are involved" in the defence of the country, he indicated. 

Apart from getting education, the students of madrassas also "get used in this kind of situation", he added.

"They can be used 100 per cent", in case of hostilities with India, he asserted. 

Madrassas of Pakistan: The human sheilds 

Over the years, Indian intelligence agencies received and shared information that much of the indoctrination on 'Jihad' against India, and the terror training of Pakistani youth are done in and around many madrassas.

However, any attack on them would be deemed negative. Indian armed forces have carefully avoided targeting them. During the surgical strikes of 2016 and 2019, Pakistan had raised the bogey of madrassas being attacked by India, though that was never the case.

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But now, a Pakistani minister himself has openly admitted to the role of madrassas and students of madrassas in its war against India.

This begs the question: Is Pakistan going to recruit more terrorists, and even soldiers, from madrassas?

Are the young children studying in madrassas, who are often from very poor families, going to be used by Pakistan as human shields?