Promoting pluralism through development

Abstract

Transnational civil society organizations (TCSOs) have generated substantial interest and scrutiny from both scholars and national governments for their extensive engagement with national and local level activist groups. The Aga Khan Development Network (AKDN), which is inspired by the ethics of Islam, is guided by the core principle of pluralism whereby people from diverse backgrounds regardless of religion, ethnicity, gender, and other differences are included in its programs. This chapter focuses upon the developmental initiatives of one of AKDN’s agencies, namely, the Aga Khan Rural Support Program (AKRSP), which has been active in the remote, mountainous regions of northern Pakistan. It examines how pluralism is promoted through the activities of AKRSP in a region characterized by ethnic diversity and some of the challenges that the agency faces. The discussion also reveals the impact of AKRSP on the growth of local civil society groups and its influence at different levels of government in Pakistan. This research is based largely upon secondary sources and information obtained from the AKDN website. There is extensive literature on AKRSP in Pakistan but most studies do not examine AKRSP’s activities with specific reference to pluralism.