Pakistani columnist punctures lie that economic growth can stop terrorism

In a candid, mostly off-the-cuff, hour-long speech at a Pakistan embassy event in Washington this October, Sharif mentioned his two-word counter-terrorism strategy: economic growth. Growth — done the grand old-fashioned way, with investments in industry, technology and infrastructure — is Sharif's magic bullet.
I did my doctorate in Economics, so I realise the value of economic growth, but also know its limits.

Motorways and metro buses, bullet trains and investment zones, laptops and tablets are all very well (though some are more useful than others), but they will not make militancy disappear.

The prime minister is assuming that poverty is the root cause of terrorism.

That is, being poor and destitute makes people resort to terrorism.

So, his thinking goes something like this (I presume): our government will focus on growth. Growth will, in turn, reduce poverty (which, by the way, is not always true).

Fewer poor people will mean fewer terrorists and less terrorism. Problem solved. Right? Wrong.

It should not be news to you, Prime Minister, that terrorism in Pakistan has very little to do with economic circumstances. In fact, this is true the world over and a wealth of empirical research shows that terrorists are not especially economically deprived and neither are those who support or sympathise with terrorists.

The simple-minded thinking for Pakistan's case is that the poorest of the poor send their kids to madrassas, where they are brainwashed and then these poor, brainwashed kids go on to become terrorists. There is some truth there.

But the root of the problem is not these poor children — it is the radical ideas they are taught.

Militancy in Pakistan is essentially a war of ideas and narratives, and it is completely naive to think that you can 'buy' your way out of it through growth.

What needs tackling is the radical narrative.

Saladin and Richard The Lionheart

The retaking of Jerusalem by Saladin, gave Richard the Lionheart a reason to start a new crusade. Richard the Lionheart arrived in the Holy Land in 1191 and defeated Saladin in the opening skirmishes. However, Richard was unable to retake Jerusalem and eventually returned to Europe without succeeding. Richard never met Saladin, though, through dealing with Saladin's brother, Richard came to respect and admire Saladin. He recognised his honour, courage and chivalry. Saladin also was generous in his respect of Richard the Lionheart.