When Faith Is Used as a Shield: The Blind Defense of the Taliban
By Mishal Zia March 7th, 2026 In many parts of Pakistan, a troubling pattern persists. Whenever the Taliban are criticized , a segment of the public quickly rises to defend them. The reasoning is often strikingly simple: the Taliban claim to follow Islam; therefore, they must be righteous. But this raises an uncomfortable question. Can violence, repression and fear truly represent a religion that speaks of justice, mercy and compassion? In deeply religious societies, faith is closely intertwined with identity. In Pakistan, where religion shapes both personal and political narratives, groups that frame themselves as defenders of Islam often receive instinctive sympathy. For some, the Taliban are not merely a political or militant force; they are seen as religious reformers attempting to establish what supporters perceive as an “Islamic system ”. This perception persists despite decades of doc...