Atif Mian
On Thursday, June 5th, the principal of Punjab Medical College, Faisalabad, expelled every student who belonged to the Ahmadi community from the college.
A total of twenty three students, fifteen female and eight male, across the five years of medical school have been expelled as a result. Further details regarding the incident can also be found in reports from the BBC and from the Daily Times.
The Ahmadi students were “accused” of preaching their religious beliefs. The principal was pressured into expelling the entire Ahmadi student body by a mob of protesters belonging to Islami Jamiat e Talaba. The mob circled the Principal’s office and demanded the expulsions. The same day, a mob of about 300 college students also barged into Ahmadi students’ rooms, beat them and threw their luggage out of their rooms.
What makes this incident especially troubling is the fact that the decision to expel Ahmadi students was taken by a government-run medical school, under full knowledge of the relevant Punjab ministries.
As an academic, and a Pakistani, I am totally appalled by this latest incidence of religious fanaticism. One hopes that the present Punjab government turns a page, and instead of supporting the forces of extremism, comes to the protection of its ordinary citizens.
Atif Mian is Associate Professor of Finance at the University of Chicago, Graduate School of Business.
As has already been commented by several people here, what good comes out of this action by the school? This makes the entire Pakistani community look like fools (especially since a great number are expressing their support for this on other sites/blogs). To those that support this action or a similar line of thinking, would it be fair if India banned all Muslims from its colleges?
This is a shameful act that reflects how low we have fallen. If we do not stop religious extremism, it will continue to haunt us.
” Aan, Maal, Zindagi Azadi AdloInsaf sab ke leay yaksaan hain. Kise ko bunyadi haquq ko zabt karna ka haq hasil nahi hai.
Lekin afsoos jab tak ye junooni mazhab jiski misal poori Islami tarikh mein nahi milti hai humaray maasheray pur burajaaman hain, Insani aur Islami qadroon ka khoon hotay rahay ga. Mujhe to afsoos ye hota hai ke Yaroon!! aisa nahi ke junooni aur vaheshi pahallay nahi guzray lekin aab ke baar jo ghata chaie hai ke Al-aman Al-hafeez.
@ Jameel:
“when it comes to the matter of my Faith, I prefer not using my brain.
Using my brain, questioning logics and trying to trace the roots of religion will definitely raise some uncomfortable questions which I am not Supposed & Allowed to think and that would lead me start doubting the Allah
An extremely shameful act by Jamaat Islami goondas. Equaly deplorable is the cowardice of educational authorities and govenment.
A sad, sad, development indeed :(. I just hope that people do not associate this negative development with the advent of democracy.
A few points to consider about the Ahmadiyya issue in Pakistan:
As someone pointed out, the problem has to do with the draconian presidential Ordianance XX (twenty) of 1984, imposed by the late Gen. Zia-ul Haq (and still in place), which criminalized the practice of Islam by members of the Ahmadiyya Community. According to the amendment in article 298 of the Pakistan Penal Code any Ahmadi who directly or indirectly posed as a Muslim by words either spoken or written or by visible representation, or in any manner whatsoever, is liable to rigorous imprisonment for a period of three years and to a fine.
Many Ahmadis went to jail for saying “Assalamu Alaikum” (Peace be upon you) to Muslims, and for displaying the Kalima “La Ilaha Illallahu Muhammadur Rasoolullah” in their stores, etc.
Regrettably the otherwise sane politicians and intellectuals of Pakistan and advocates of Peace and human rights couldn’t do enough to repeal this ordinance, even though democacies came and went after it was imposed. The law has been condemned around the world’s goverments and human rights organizations.
Another point. These 23 students were doctors of the future, perhaps to become like one Ahmadi before (Dr. Mahmoodul Hassan?), who, ironically, was the one chosen to perform a major surgery upon former President Zia-ul Haq himself, to save his life.
Ahmadi students, meanwhile, should understand the atmosphere of Pakistan and realize that now may not be the time to display their faith too enthusiastically, although I’m ashamed to write this. No should be forced to shut up.
Once, when I taught at Government College, Lahore (btw, hello Ravians!! :) ), My department chair asked me represent him at a meeting with Pakistani Nobelist Abdus Salam. After the forum I noticed a couple of Ahmadi students who, while greeting him, told him that they were Ahmadi. Dr. Salam greeted them nicely but completely ignored their expression of identity with him. On other occasions, too, I noticed that he tried to serve at a more universal level, and didn’t restrict his favors to Ahmadis or proclaim his faith enthusiastically in general audiences.
In Dr. Salam’s spirit of getting along, the Ahmadi students may do well to hold off their enthusiasm for a while, while this case gets settled. I hope and pray for their readmission and urge the good contributors of this blog to call for their reinstatement as soon as possible using any inflence that you might have.
We are already the laughing stock of the world. Let’s not contribute to it further. Thank you.