Sectarian conflict has turned into political discrepancy, violent and bloody conflict between different schools of thought such as that between Shia and Sunni Muslims. Regretfully, religion is unabatedly used to fuel the differences not to harmonize them.

Syria is blazed in an everlasting turmoil, where government and rebels fight endlessly, giving a potent sectarian dimension to the civil war. The two nominally Muslim groups celebrate beheading their opponents in the pursuit to gain power. According to credible sources the death toll has exceeded to 0.1m and over 0.5m people were displaced. The Geneva conference seems not to find out a congenial solution to Syrian crisis.

This tale is a clear intimation to deepening sectarian rift and growing intolerance in Muslim world. The bigotry, prejudice, discrimination, or hatred arising from attaching importance to perceived differences between sects and undermining the opponent sect whilst propagating deep-rooted political interests each sect owns. Evidently, political gains are aimed at, out of these differences, whilst believes serve as a sacrificial cow.

Sectarian rift has reached its highest level since 2008 in Iraq where religious events are frequently targeted by opponent extremist militants. According to UN 979 people - including 158 police and 127 military personnel - were killed in violent attacks in October. More than 6,500 civilians have died in 2013 alone. Iraq has also seen a leak out of violence from the conflict in Syria, where jihadist rebels linked to the Islamic State of Iraq, a Sunni militant umbrella group that includes al-Qaeda, have risen to prominence particularly in the city of Fallujah.

Beyond the Middle East, sectarianism has gripped Pakistan like never before as Sunni extremists’ gun down Christians, Shias, Ahmedis and most recently Ismailis – the most non-violent and Shia sect have been the most vulnerable. Quetta, of Baluchistan, Peshawar of Khaibar Pakhtunkhwa and Karachi of Sindh province are the worst terrorists hit cities of Pakistan. In most of attacks Shiite remained the soft of targets. Hazara shia of Quetta owing facial distinction rendered over 1300 scarifies, earlier bus full of Hazara pilgrims on the way to Quetta was hit by explosive laden car that claimed 31 innocent lives, injuring scores. The incident brought Pakistan to standstill, the two day long sit-in ended subsequent to assurance of federal interior minister. This is in exception to thousands of killed mercilessly on the avenues of Pakistan.

Pakistan’s strong security establishment and its feeble, irresolute government seem to stop the violence that has reached to point of no return via negotiation, which seems difficult to achieve.

Though, Afghanistan is not plunged into sadistic sectarian clash till date, yet it is susceptible to this menace. The presence of foreign forces can be deemed, one of the unifying forces averting this vicious maneuvering game. Countries like Pakistan and Afghanistan should learn it, sectarianism must be curtailed with iron hand, else it may bring ill-fate for respective governments.