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The passing of the Sharia law by the MMA-dominated provincial legislature in the North West Frontier Province (NWFP) of Pakistan is an alarming new step in the direction of a possible overall 'Talibanization' of the Pakistani political machinery. As other provincial assemblies and the National Assembly find themselves in political deadlock and unable to pass legislation, the MMA has been able to present itself as a strong political and social force.

The two actors who have been most responsible for initiating the 'Talibanization' process in Pakistan are the Islamist parties and the military-intelligence establishment. The Islamist parties are closely tied with the armed religious groups and jihadis from Afghanistan. The joint military-intelligence establishment has aided and exploited the religious right for its own security ends and in the process empowered them greatly.

The Taliban presence in Afghanistan was aided by the joint Pakistan military-intelligence establishment to create stability in Afghanistan on terms beneficial to Pakistan. Under the regime of Zia-ul-Haq, the religious right in Pakistan was armed and empowered to help fight the Soviets in Afghanistan (with the eventual aim of unleashing its force on India). Due to such support, many religious groups were able to have strong, armed groups associated with them.

The leaders of the mainstream secular parties, who had historically shared the vast majority of votes in elections, were outlawed following Pervez Musharraf's rise to power in 1999 through military coup. This political vacuum brought the Islamists more power as they organized to form the MMA. The result has been that 'Pakistan's Taliban,' possessing newfound political momentum and militant strength, may well be capable of challenging the political structure of Pakistan without relying on their historic alliance with the army. Mr. Haqqani asserted that while the Islamists were still not capable of directly confronting the establishment, they are capable of challenging the state.

Mr. Haqqani pointed out three elements that are most worrisome in the Talibanization process in Pakistan. First, the independence of Islamist armed groups and their ability to function without state and military sanction. Second, the political strength of the religious parties is disproportionate to their popularity and challenge the democratic system. Finally, the ongoing alliance between the military-intelligence community and the religious right threatens to radicalize the armed forces.

Mr. Haqqani proposed that the most important steps to dealing with this lingering threat are to restore the natural balance of political forces within Pakistan by recalling the main political leaders from exile and creating a countervailing political force to the Islamists. The military must break its ties with Islamists voluntarily or due to international pressure in order to weaken the Islamists in the country. Finally, Mr. Haqqani asserted that a lasting solution to the Kashmir issue with India would dissipate the support and legitimacy that the Islamists find from within Pakistan.