Punjab Medical College Expels 23 Ahmedi Students

Posted on June 9, 2008
Filed Under >Atif Mian, Education, Law & Justice, Religion
225 Comments
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Atif Mian

Punjab Medical College Faisalabad expels 23 Ahmedi studentsOn 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.

Punjab Medical College Faisalabad expels 23 Ahmedi studentsWhat 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.


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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.

225 responses to “Punjab Medical College Expels 23 Ahmedi Students”

  1. Junaid says:

    Good that the PMC has changed its decision. Now, they need to punish the IJT hooligans.

  2. Daktar says:

    Asma, thanks for that update.

    I think this is a positive development. Although I am not sure how even the suspention is justified. But at least it shows some action by the government and the college and some sense of restraint.

  3. Asma says:

    The Punjab Medical College administration has withdrawn its decision of rusticating 23 Ahmedi students on charges of preaching their faith on the campus and converted their `sentence

  4. YLH says:

    All anti-ahmaddiya laws on the statute books … especially the PPC … are unconstitutional.

    Unfortunately the PCO-ed judges in our history have never had the courage to call a spade a spade…

    Some day an independent judiciary will scrap these draconian laws Inshallah.

  5. YLH says:

    Ordinary Citizen…

    Pakistani constitution establishes the right to propagate one’s faith as a FUNDAMENTAL RIGHT.

    “20. Freedom to profess religion and to manage religious institutions.
    Subject to law, public order and morality:- (a) every citizen shall have the right to profess, practise and propagate his religion; and
    (b) every religious denomination and every sect thereof shall have the right to establish, maintain and manage its religious institutions. ”

    So I am not sure when or where it was that you last checked.

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