It was the winter of 1996 when I met Mariam Abou Zahab for the first time in Lahore and our shared interest to study the various shades of sectarian and religious violence in Pakistan created a bond that grew stronger with the passage of time. She was among that breed of foreign scholars who are often more informed on the religious complexities of Pakistan than many local researchers.

Her interest and love for Pakistan was public and even the staff at the National Hotel in Lahore’s Lakshmi Chowk, where she would reside during her visits to the city, expected her arrival during the month of Muharram every year. She would always take time out to visit Lahore’s Urdu Bazaar to purchase books of her research interest published in Urdu and often had to pay extra charges for excess baggage on return to Paris.

Mariam had strong connections among various religious, religio-political, sectarian and jihadi organisations and would spend time interviewing those associated with such organisations whenever she got a chance. Her keen interest in Pakistan’s sectarian violence and deep understanding of the issues made every interaction enriching.

Mariam’s research was hardcore for many. For instance when she met General Musharraf at a conference in Islamabad, the then military ruler ordered the DG ISPR Rashid Qureshi to help Mariam in her research. Qureshi was lost for words when Mariam requested access to the then jailed leader of Lashkar-e-Jhangvi, Malik Ishaq, for an interview.

She helped many researchers bring international perspective to the work. It was Mariam who pointed out during one of our meetings that the violent rhetoric of Abu Musab Zarqawi in Iraq was apparently a word to word translation of anti-Shia speeches of Sipah-e-Sahaba leader Haq Nawaz Jhangvi in Pakistan. It later transpired that Zarqawi did spend time with the SSP leadership in Pakistan. Mariam was among the few female researchers who were keen on visiting madaris outside the cities and was able to draw parallels between female madaris in Rajwa Saadat near Chiniot, for instance, and those in the suburbs of Najaf, Iraq. She encouraged many of her students to take up research work in Pakistan and to carry her legacy forward.

The writer has worked with daily Dawn and the Herald for more than a decade before moving on to the UN. His work focused on religious militant organisations and complexities of religious violence in Pakistan. His upcoming book on contemporary history of Madaris in Pakistan is due for publication by May this year.