Pakistan: A New Wave of Sunni-Shiite Violence?

Maulana Azam Tariq — a top anti-Shiite Sunni sectarian leader and Parliament member in Pakistan — was shot dead in Islamabad on Oct. 6. Should the Sunnis decide to retaliate against the Shiites, who are likely responsible for the shooting, it could lead to a further fracturing of the Islamist Mutahiddah Majlis-i-Amal (MMA) alliance, which is suffering growing dissent from within its ranks. A weakened MMA is likely to strengthen President Gen. Pervez Musharraf, but also has the potential to lift pressure from al Qaeda if the administration's focus shifts to containing sectarian violence.