Ahmadis expelled from school
At least 10 students, including seven girls, and a female teacher were expelled from Chenab Public School and Muslim Public School, Dharanwali area of Hafizabad, for being Ahmadis.
“It is extremely unfortunate that my daughters are being deprived of the most basic and fundamental human right such as education … all because of religious intolerance,” Khalil Ahmad, whose three daughters were expelled, told The Express Tribune. “I have no alternative to ensure that their education continues,” he added.
What about the constitutional provisions which ensure equal rights for all? What about the rule of law that says no discrimination can be made on the basis of faith, race, cast and creed, he questions.
“I’ve never seen Christians and students belonging to other religions ever having to deal with such restrictions,” the distraught father says.
“I personally opposed the expulsion on the basis of faith,” Muslim Public School Principal Yasir Abbas responds when contacted by The Express Tribune.
“This is not my decision … the entire village unanimously pressed me to expel all Ahmadis from the school, or else they would forcibly shut the school down,” he added.
A public meeting held in Dharanwali recently was spreading hatred against Ahmadis, Jamaat Ahmadiyya Pakistan spokesperson Saleemuddin says, adding that expulsion came in the aftermath of the intolerance that some religious preachers were bent on evoking amongst locals in the area.
“They went so far as to say that they would never allow for an Ahmadi to be buried in their graveyard, let alone allow an Ahmadi to study in a school with their children,” Saleemuddin alleges.
Soon after the hate speech, ten Ahmadi students and a teacher were expelled from local schools.
The Punjab government’s initiative allowing people to register for schools online makes it mandatory for one to disclose their religion – whether they are Muslim or Non-Muslim. “This was never the case previously. It’s very simply a calculated move to subject the Ahmadiyya community to discrimination and deprive them of their right to education,” Saleemuddin says.
Ahmadis never refer to themselves as “Non-Muslim”, but that doesn’t keep them from being kept away from educational institutions. Similarly, for the first time ever, they’ve introduced this system where religion is displayed on the Roll Number slips. “It’s like they’re making a conscious effort to mentally torture us,” he says.
Published in The Express Tribune, October 8th, 2011.
“Similarly, for the first time ever, they’ve introduced this system where religion is displayed on the Roll Number slips. “
WOW, just wow. Way to go pakistan.
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Future of my favorite country is very bright.
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NAZIS.
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Ahmadis should migrate en mass from Pakistan to follow in the foot steps of the Muslims who were forced to migrate 1,400 years ago when they were faced with similar persecution and oppression that the Ahmadis are being subjected to.
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Is this the teachings of Holy Prophet Muhammad(saw)? Which Islam is being practiced in Pakistan?
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“……religion is displayed on the Roll Number slips.”
Is this the level of intolerance being propagated by the bigots, who claim to be followers of the Rahmat-lil-Alameen (saw)? Please remember he (saw) and is the Rahmat-lil-Alameem and not only Rahmat-lil-Muslameen.
The Punjab government should immediately de-nationalize the Ahmadi educational institutions, nationalized by Z. A. Bhutto. All others schools in the province have been de-nationalized and handed over to their orignal owners.
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“Similarly, for the first time ever, they’ve introduced this system where religion is displayed on the Roll Number slips. “
The next inevitable step is to display the particular sect being followed…. and then what?
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What kind of islam are they exactly following? After ghazwa-e-badar, the non-muslim captives were freed when they became teachers for children. And here they are being deprived of their basic right
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I guess we can’t expect a revolution from a nation as screwed up as this.
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ET, please do not glorify the class rooms of Pakistani schools. The photo does not seem to belong to a school which expelled students. Either remove the photo or put the real photo of the school.Thanks, Raj
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Religion on roll number slips! What is this. This is height of unjustified discrimination on the basis of religion. Is this Islam?Recommend42
Why are the Muslims of Pakistan so insecure? There are more Muslims in India than in Pakistan and they are following their religion with complete freedom.
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At this rate Pakistanis will be required by Mullah law which would be backed by large segment of Lahore Bar Council, and segments of some other bar council members, to have their religion and sect etched indelibly on their foreheads.
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**Land o the pure being purified by killings, expulsions, forced migration using unholy alliance of unholy people. Theocracy’s influence has done more damage to this country than all the enemies combined.
@Nida
And your eman is so week that you cannot stand the sight of them. Don’t blame them for your weaknesses.**
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Seek knowledge even if one has to go to China.Recommended22
And when I thought Pakistan cannot go much lower – it reveals another pit of darkness in which it jumps with disgusting fervour.
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@Nida:
Nida sahiba…….here we are just talking about the expulsion of Ahmadi students and isnt education the right of for all irrespective of the cast, creed and religion.
As you say, you hate them….but there MOTO will be always ” LOVE FOR ALL HATRED FOR NONE”
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welcome to Pakistan.
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Nida,
I completely lost interest in your comment with the first three words (“I hate Qaddiyanis..”) and didn’t even bother reading the rest, knowing that it’s going to be absurd.
Hating someone simply for not sharing your religious beliefs is the epitome of madness.Recommended51
@ Nida
First you say you hate Qadiyanis and than fall so low as to say you are not even sure if they shouldn’t be deprived of their basic human rights. Next you might say that anybody who believes in a different sect than yours should be considered sub-human.Recommended42
@Nida:
Ms. Nida, why do you hate qadiyanis? Isn’t hate a negative emotion that is to be avoided? Imagine facing such discrimination and hate on a daily basis. As for the tableegh part, isn’t it their right to spread what they think is the right path? Or should we take away their right to think, believe, and speak. It is always a good idea to have your faith challenged by those of other faiths and those having no religion. Open debate allows us to grow intellectually.
.
““ … the entire village unanimously pressed me to expel all Ahmadis from the school, or else they would forcibly shut the school down,” he added.”
.
Pakistan is going down the path Nazi Germany went through before the concentration camps and mass executions. Mass killings and pogroms (gojra, anyone?) are already far too frequent. In our country, minorities are effectively living in their own ghettos, now only the arm bands for identification are missing.
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In Nazi Germany Jews were required to wear the Star of David emblem on their clothing to be readily identifiable as Jews. In Pakistan Shias, Hazaras, Ahmedis, Christians and others will be required to wear identifying emblems if the Mullah brigade has its way, and so far it has.
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@raj
yes ET, raj will be happy as long as you defame Pakistan, or otherwise he would stop visiting your website.
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No country has done such a wonderful job as to reduce its population of minorities from 15% to less than 3% in a mere 60 years. This has given it a unique position in the comity of nations. Incidents like garlanding of Quadri and public processions in his support, targeting of Ahmadis, and blasphemy Laws have elevated Pakistans position several notches higher.
Pakistan is a liberal, peaceful and progressive country, of course !
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Thou we are not confirm what the real matter is… But still Expelling sm1 form a school (non- religious based) just on the basis of religion is not the way of an Islamic state and even our constitution does not have any such article, i believe … So either bring frwd the Reality or Undo & apologize for the injustice.Recommended15
Nida why do you hate qadiyanis? we are Ahmadis by the way so first call us by our real names. we are not all from qadian(india). and whats wrong with “tableegh”?? If others can do tableegh to us then arent we suppose to reply to that?????? Where is equality of rights?? Basic Human Values??? If your faith is so fragile that Ahmadis can move you away from Islam then you must argue back with arguments from the Holy Quran and Sunnah which is the right way. and lastly YOU MUST NOT HATE ANYONE ON THE BASIS OF DIFFERENCE OF OPINION, thats the most FUNDAMENTAL HUMAN VALUE.
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Ahmadis I guess don’t believe in democracy where the one who has the majority wins. The entire village didn’t want their kids to mingle with Ahmadis and they decided to expel them. What is the issue over here.Recommend14
@Nida:
That’s just pathetic.
Fascism at it’s highest levels.
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First they came for the qadyanis,and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a qadyani.Then they came for the shias,and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a shia.Then they came for the christians,and I didn’t speak out because I wasn’t a christian.Then they came for me
and there was no one left to speak for me.
(a pakistani complaining after 10 years)
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My dear nida …
Hate is a strong word and islam is a religion of compassion.
We live in a world with people belonging to different religions, none can force or impose their teachings on others. However, if we develop an attitude of a real muslim, ppl might want to adopt our faith. Pakistan, we struggled to achieve wasnt only a homeland for muslims only. We wanted a free country where muslims can live independently and no harm others as had been the fate of muslims before partition. Live and let others livve is what islam all about.
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@Nida: So why are you so afraid that they do? Don’t you preach your own? If you think your deen is the right deen, then you shouldn’t be worried. Is that what your deen of peace teaches you? hatred for anyone different from you?
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I am ashamed of my country and scared for our future. I cannot even raise a voice against this.Recommended39
def a sad news that ppl of the village forced the principal to expel the students… we had ahmedi students in our school, we used to play with them like with other students. There are ahmedi colleagues at our work place but we dont start a campaign to fire them …
but yes, its not a hidden fact that ahmedis give favors to ppl of their own sect, they preach their religion (which is not allowed by Pak law)…
and their preaching is not allowed coz they are non-muslims when they claim they are muslims.their preaching is def unacceptable.
Being followers of a tolerant religion there is no excuse for us expelling them from schools and shun them from society.
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Ironically, there is no real Islam in Pakistan. All we have here is fundamentalism based on untrue facts and politically motivated measures taken to brainwash the illiterate masses who don’t have enough brains to pick up the Quran and read it themselves instead of blindly following odious ‘leaders’.
We don’t need enemies in our country, we’re all perfectly equipped (and en-route) to kill each other off and leave our resources for the world to harvest.
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@Nida:
“i hate qadiyanis but i dont know if its the right thing to do or NOT.. might be there is some other scene involved behind all this. Qadiyanis always do tableegh of their DEEN and always try’s to move us from DEEN e Muhammad Sallallahu Alayhay Wasallam..”
If you feel someone’s preaching to move you from your faith then honey you should look into yourself and hate yourself for a weak faith that can easily be moved by anyone and not the person who is preaching his or her faith. The constitution of this country as well Islam itself gives a right to every human being to preach and practice his religion freely. Why on earth do we have to show this hypocrisy. We want our children to study at all the cream convent schools operated by missionaries but we kick others out of our educational institutes because we hate them because suddenly we feel they are deviating us from our path. wow.
Learn to be tolerant. Peace.
P.S. Despite the fact that I am not fond of wearing religion on my sleeves, in case someone considers my comment an “Ahmedi Propaganda”, I wanna clarify am not an Ahmedi.
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@Humanity:
Perhaps everyone should immigrate and leave it to the hard-line extremists who can purify it :)
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This alarming situation for the fundamental right to education of Ahmadiyy Muslims in Pakistan continues to accelerate and the international community must take resolute action to pursue the Government of Pakistan to honour its commitments to the Universal Declaration on Human Rights
Now I appeal the government of Pakistan to repeal all the laws and ordinances denying Ahmadis their civic and fundamental rights and propping up the Mullahs and extremist groups to continue the murders of Ahmadis and the destruction of their means to livelihood.
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A worse example of discremination and hate against ahmadies..shame on this act.Recommend21
The offending comment has been deleted.
Apologies and regards,
The Express Tribune Web Desk
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@ Nida, This is precisely the kind of intolerance which leads to the above article being written, its not like you “special” type of muslisms dont preach! every religion preaches! Since you seem not to know, only Jews dont accept converts on a large scale, other than that every other belief and religion does this so please dont give undue attention to tableegh.
FYI Qadian is a town, an since the Ahmadis of Pakistan dont belong to Qadian they cannot be Qadiani, get your facts and figures right before you start commenting.Recommend25
is the goverment of punjab muslim , do the people of above mention village in punjab belong to islam and believer of Allah and Rehmat ul Alameen?i think islam has taught us to be tolerant to evry living thing .
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And yet again another atrocious act that shall go unnoticed by the authorities, although I must praise express tribune to have the guts to publish an article that aims at inciting sympathy towards the much persecuted ahmadies. Being an ahmadi myself, I have faced and heard of uncountable events where media would not publish an event like this to protect it’s popularity. I must say I am glad to read comments that discourage such acts as opposed to encourage (believe me, it is a rare sight, and it is the opposite that normally occurs). In one of the comments someone mentions that ahmadies ought to migrate. All those who afford to are doing so, and the epitome of this migration was reached when our khola at shifted to London in the late 80′s under Gen Zia’s regime, who sought to arrest out fourth khalifa and hang him. I request you all to voice your opinion regarding such discrimination amongst your peers as well, and make them aware of the demented psyche that these so called religious leaders of this country have started inculcating. We need to put a stop to it or our beloved country will never be able to break free from the chains of doom.
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Oh Allah! Guide the misguided people of Pakistan towards the beautiful teaching Of our beloved master & mentor, Prophet Mohammad (pbuh), the Chief of The Prophets, The bearer of Peace, for, the World for all people! Oh Allah this is a nation of the silent Majority of good upright Muslims! May you avert all punishment on this Nation and punish all the guilty ones, as an example! as you did punish the wrongdoers in the past! Such as those who opposed the ones who accepted your messengers for their guidance!
May Allah make this nation turn to guidance to the Quran & not the Mullah! Oh! Forgive this Nation & enter them into guidance towards goodness, of the beautiful teaching of the last book, (Quran) entrusted to our Beloved Master Mohammad (PBUH) from whom we derive all guidance as the perfect Exampler for Mankind! Oh! My Allah safe guard the ones who have turned to you for guidance & accepted your Mahdi the Deputy of Your Prophet Mohammad to make the Religion Of Islam to prevail over all false things that have crept into other religions. “There is no Allah besides Allah and Mohammad is the Messenger of Allah’
A message of peace from an Ahmadi from the UK, a land of the Christian where the Principles of Islamic teachings are practised that are forgotten by the Muslims of Pakistan.
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“This is not my decision … the entire village unanimously pressed me to expel all Ahmadis from the school, or else they would forcibly shut the school down”
Considering his religion, when this fellow will be called to account for his deeds in the hereafter this certainly won’t excuse him from the wrongs he committed by expelling innocent human beings who’s only “crime” was to be an Ahmedi.
However, it would certainly help if people would publicly stand out against bigots so that it would make it easier for such people to make a stand as well. And regarding that bit about roll number slips having religion on display, I can only reiterate what another poster has already mentioned so aptly: WOW, just wow. Way to go Pakistan. You sure know how to make your citizens proud of you.
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This is a shame!
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We seem to be controlling what our religion wants and does not want us to do. I think no one who truly has even a rudimentary understanding of our great religion would disagree (unless some strong vested interests are at stake) that Allah Subhanaotallah has ordained that we behave in as compassionate a manner as possible towards ALL.This message was beautifully conveyed by the Holy Prophet (sallalaho alaihi wa aalay wassaalam) by his practices in his lifetime. Are we then not going to incur the wrath of Allah Subhanaotallah by behaving in the manner of the people of the time of Jahaliya? Who is to say what kind of Muslims WE are judging by the overall situation in the ISLAMIC Republic of Pakistan? It is time we left judgements as to who is muslim and who is non-Muslim to our Creator and focused on our own well-being in the Hereafter. Shame on those who have perpetrated such an un-Islamic act as they have i)denied education, although as Muslims we are to go to the ends of the earth to seek it, ii) been incompassionate as Muslims to people of a minority group who it is our responsibility to care and protect and iii) have tried to pass judgement which is only Allah’s prerogative,
for there is none greater than He.
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Disgusting. My heart aches for this community. The fact that religion is put on the rolls like that makes Pakistan sound like the new Hitler Germany. What’s next? Non-Sunni-Wahabis will have to wear a headband so terrorists can easily identify who they want to kill and police can easily identify who they can refuse help to?
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Pakistan is getting purer by the day.
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Pathetic, but then that’s become the norm in Pakistan.
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Shame on these so called “lovers of the Prophet” and “protectors of religion”
They are anything BUT and are driving people away from Islam in DROVES.
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