“One Step Forward, Two Steps Back”: Unpacking Pakistan’s Post-9/11 Policies of Madrassah Reforms

Despite numerous initiatives by the Pakistani government to reform religious seminaries, or madrassahs, results have been constrained by institutional resistance and flawed state policies. Drawing on madrassah literature, as well as interviews with government officials, madrassah administrators, and analysts, this article offers a fresh perspective on post-9/11 reform efforts. It argues that the reform process has been hampered by policy inconsistency, lack of a compelling narrative, and counterproductive securitization of a complex socioeconomic issue. This article advocates for a transition away from the current situation of ambitious, holistic strategies towards a more nuanced, long-term approach focused on incremental goals. The article argues that in addition to adopting this strategy of refinement, the state must also desecuritize the agenda of madrassah reform. This shift from reactive securitization to a consistent and comprehensive agenda offers a more viable path for reform in Pakistani madrassahs.