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.
BTW, it’s funny how the Wahabis of today are against Qadianis and other religions because of the “harm” they are doing to Pakistan. Have these followers of Maulana Azad forgotten that they did not want Pakistan in the first place?
Enough said.
Dear Deewana Phir Say, the actions of the mob in the Rawalpindi Medical College, probably staged by the IJT again, is bigoted and dispicable. However, your post is misleading and I hope you were not purposely trying to ignite emotions…. Since that is exactly what the IJT is doing and if you do the same that you are no worse than them!
Your comment suggest that the new “twist” you mention is that now “Without a free trial (or any trial for that matter), expelled students have been declared guilty of blasphemy, all 23 of them.” he reader would assume that they have been “declared” so by the government or a court or a college. That is NOT the case at all. A bunch of thugs say that and that’s all.
Let us please not stoop to the same behavior that we are all condemning.
Another twist;
http://jang.com.pk/jang/jun2008-daily/13-06-2008/i slamabad/raw1.gif
Without a free trial (or any trial for that matter), expelled students have been declared guilty of blasphemy, all 23 of them.
Mob rule in 21st century.
I think this whole issue is about mixing religion and education.
I think the Ahmedi students were wrong in propagating religion in an educational institution. Not because they are Ahmedi but because I think NO religion should be propagated in an education institution. Keep colleges only about education. That includes banning religious fundamental organizations like the Jamiat which should not be allowed on any campus. The purpose of a medical college is to create doctors, lets only focus on that. What people want to do on their own time in their own premises is their own business and what they want to believe is a personal matter.
I don’t want to be told be an Ahmedi that I will be a better Muslim if I were like them and I dont want to be told by a Jamaati that I will be a better Muslim if I were like them. If either of them turns into a good person for everyone to see then I will be impressed but otherwise all these silly debates are just words.
Governor seeks report on expulsion of Ahmedi students
LAHORE: Governor Salmaan Taseer, taking notice of the expulsion of 23 students from the Punjab Medical College (PMC), Faisalabad, on Tuesday called a report from the Health secretary within 24 hours.
The Academic Council of the PMC had expelled 23 Ahmedi students for allegedly preaching their religion on campus. staff report
http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/default.asp?page=2008 %5C06%5C11%5Cstory_11-6-2008_pg7_47