ISLAMABAD (AP) — Militant attacks are on the rise in Pakistan amid a growing religiosity that has brought greater intolerance, prompting one expert to voice concern the country could be overwhelmed by religious extremism. Mohammad Amir Rana, executive director of the independent Pakistan Institute for Peace Studies, says authorities are embracing strengthening religious belief among the population to bring the country closer together. But it’s doing just the opposite, creating intolerance and opening up space for a creeping resurgence in militancy. Observers say the reunification of splintered and deeply violent anti-Pakistan terrorist groups, led by the Tehreek-e-Taliban, is of particular concern.
