Abstract
In the wake of 9/11, 2001 religious extremism became a major concern of
international security agencies. Pakistan, in particular, became a focus of academic
discourse on radical religious extremism and militancy. It was during these times
that the President of Pakistan Pervez Musharraf presented the idea of “Enlightened
Moderation”. According to him, the Muslims would have to adopt the modern path
and the world should promote justice to get rid of extremism. This study examines
President Musharraf’s policy of “Enlightened Moderation” and its different
interpretations by the national print media. The study finds that despite President
Musharraf’s efforts to explain this idea at length, it was interpreted in multiple,
often conflicting ways by scholars in Pakistan.
