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.
Think this is rather going too far. I respect Jamat-e-Islami but what these IJT guys are doing, is a very “big honour” to Jamat itself. Can’t we follow our great prophet who accepted the harangues, the insults and even injuries at the hands of his opponents but he never reacted. So gentle, so friendly , so lovable his behaviour had been to his opponents, his enemies that even the most ruthless. most callous and venemous ones ultimetly yielded to him.
He never used any force, no persecution. no harassment of his opponents, yet he won the hearts of his enemies. I wonder what type of Islam these IJT guys are following. By indulging in such acts, they seem to be standing in the same row which people like Bal Thakray in India are.
Do we foresee whereto will such acts lead us. Tomorrow we may expell students of this or that sect just beause some 300 goons from IJT or of similar type, harass the prinicipal of an other institution?
“Na samjhoge tau mit jao ge ae jama-att walo
tumahari daastan tak bhi na hogi daastano main”.
Whereas we can watch breaking news of Shaikh Rasheed’s recent bombshells (no one breaks poor people’s news), and the sensational breaking news that M. Asif will spend another night in custody in Dubai, no news channel has run the story of student expulsions.
I know that IJT’s book fair generates atleast one news report in Geo every two months. ARY this morning bravely announced that Indonesia has banned Ahmadiyya activities (Qadianiat ki tableegh) in the country. Yet no mention was made of the PMC expulsions in the past 4 days. Why is it so difficult for Pakistani media to admit that Ahmadis are being persecuted in the country?
Hats off to the Principle of PMC for this timely decision of expelling all Ahmadi students from the college. This act requires a shrewd foresightedness, a truly unique sense of responsibility and an unprecedented sense of justice. I am positive that the Principle has made this decision on the basis of his clear understanding of the teachings of Ahmadiyya Community, its tradition of non-violent activities and its undeniable conformity with the law of the country. He is aware of the fact that this community is inured to accept all the undesirable acts against it. Any act of antagonism is least expected from this community. The very right of even practicing their religion openly has been snatched away from them. They have been killed, imprisoned, tortured, denied to promotions and castigated as a community. And yet they haven
This is really a shamefull act of college officials, i really condemend this act and also the Blind government who has not done yet. people of pakistan are contineously betratde by government officails and they now slaughter the human rights of innocent students just because they belong to different relegious sect.
Shame to be Pakisatni
This is the first real test of the new government.
Will Shahbaz Sharif in Punjab and more important will Gillani and Zardari in the Center have the guts to rise to the Mullah goondas of the Jamaat? I have no confidence that Musharraf will, like other military leaders he is too close to the Mullahs.