Lashkar members more educated than average Pakistani male, says scholar Christine Fair

In a wide-ranging discussion on her new book, Georgetown University professor Christine Fair shed light on some unknown aspects of terror organisation LeT.

File photo of Christine Fair | Commons

New Delhi: American scholar Christine Fair has revealed that Lashkar-e-Taiba members are actually “more educated than the average Pakistani male”, which goes against the general perception.

Fair was discussing her new book In Their Own Words: Understanding Lashkar-e-Tayyaba at an event in New Delhi Tuesday, and shed light on many unknown and lesser-known aspects of the terror organisation.

A professor at Georgetown University, Fair is considered one of the most astute observers of Pakistan’s security affairs. Over the years, she has developed the reputation of a scholar who pulls no punches, and uses some of the most exciting empirical methods for her research.

Like her previous book on Pakistan’s Army, Fair’s research in the new book predominantly relies on the internal literature produced by LeT.

“I do not trust interviews at this stage of my career … everyone lies,” she said in response to a question from ThePrint, adding: “The good thing about using internal literature is that it’s undisputed, as the organisation itself produced it.”

Crux of Fair’s thesis

Fair’s book features a two-fold thesis: First, it presents LeT as an almost-establishmentarian non-state actor. She argues that over the years, ISI has supported and controlled LeT because of its unquestionable loyalty and its ability to conduct complex operations in India and Pakistan.

Second, Fair points to a major distinction between LeT and other Deobandi terrorist actors — that LeT is vehemently against conducting any violent jihad in Pakistan. Even when it comes to minority groups such as Shias and Ismailis, LeT believes in converting them but opposes using violence against them.

The second part of the thesis, on the domestic nature of LeT is one of the most astute insights, presenting an understudied and nuanced aspect of the notorious organisation.

The domestic realm of LeT

Fair told the gathering that two characteristics of the LeT stand out — it is a very dutiful organisation, and has a huge sociable aspect.

“Out of 10 mujahideen trained in combat, only one is actually sent for combat operations,” she said.

This further highlights two things.

First, that most LeT recruits are used for domestic propaganda purposes. Recounting an interesting anecdote, Fair remarked that while studying the biographies of various mujahideen, she found many of them complain to their mothers, ‘Why am I not picked for a mission?’

This highly domestic aspect of the LeT is what affects the education level of its members, Fair said.

Second, the organisation practices a procedure of extreme selectivity. This ensures that only the cream of the crop gets deployed. Perhaps, this explains the ability of the LeT to conduct extremely complex operations.

LeT is a Punjabi organisation, not a Kashmiri one

In another startling insight, Fair told the audience that most of the members of LeT come from 10 districts of Pakistani Punjab, and that there are hardly any Kashmiris in it.

When asked how does the LeT manage this contradiction of being a Punjabi organisation with a Kashmiri orientation, Fair had some intriguing answers.

She said that it is only externally that the LeT presents itself as a Kashmiri organisation. Everyone in Pakistan knows it is a Punjabi outfit.

Additionally, Partition is still a mobilising narrative among LeT members. While its operations are centred on Kashmir, LeT’s final aim is to destabilise the communal harmony of India.

Fair said that for most members, the greatest driving force is that “one day they will avenge the horrors of Partition”.

LeT is ISI’s dearest instrument

Fair said that certain conditions towards the end of the Soviet-Afghan War led to the co-option of the LeT by the ISI.

Back then, the LeT as an organisation was not interested in being a part of the then-prevalent militia infighting. Meanwhile, the ISI was not convinced about Kashmir’s indigenous group JKLF’s abilities, and it did not find Hizbul Mujahideen deadly enough. The LeT fighters were cheap to hire and reasonably decent in the ‘battlefield’.

A combination of these factors resulted in the adoption and development of the LeT as the most loyal ISI actor.

As an aside, Fair said the LeT’s hierarchical structure is extremely dependent on ISI support. In case the deep state in Pakistan retrenches, the LeT is likely to become very vulnerable.