Islamic Military Alliance (IMA) – and Pakistan

Abstract

The power politics and dominance are recurring features of Middle East which is in the continuous state of transformation ever since the Iranian revolution of 1979 and Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. The United States since the oil crises of 1970s has declared energy security. The unfortunate incident of 9/11 generated ferocious US response which was unleashed in the Middle East on the premise of regime change. This transition has proved to be uncertain and full of risks with catastrophic consequences and resultant rise of non- state (NSA) actors like ISIS and ISIL. This article unveils the basic contours and prime motives behind formation of IMA, its aims and objectives, analyses its efficacy in countering violent extremism with potential implications for Pakistan as a major stake holder and suggests a way forward for Pakistan to convert this into opportunity by mitigating challenges. This is academic narrative, views and comments are author’s own.