Monday, June 09, 2008

Education: Ahmadiyya students expelled from Punjab Medical College

Faisalabad, Pakistan (ANTARA News/PRNewswire-AsiaNet) - Arbitrary persecution of Ahmadiyya Community in Pakistan continues.

All 23 Ahmadiyya Muslim students studying at the Punjab Medical College in Faisalabad, Pakistan have been expelled for no other reason than their membership of the Ahmadiyya Muslim Community, a Community based upon teachings of peace, equality and tolerance.

Following pressure from members of the Islami-Jamiat-e-Tulaba, a nationwide extremist religious student body in Pakistan a wing of Jamat-e-Islami, Dr. Asghar Ali Randhawa, the Principal of the Punjab Medical College issued office Order No. /PMC/08 dated June 2008 confirming All 23 Ahmadiyya students (5 freshmen, 6 sophomore, 7 third year, 1 fourth year and 4 final (5th year) had been rusticated from college as well as hostels.

The justification for the expulsions was totally baseless and spurious. It is yet another example of the cruelty that Ahmadi Muslims in Pakistan have to contend with. The twenty-three students included eight males and fifteen females.
Four of the students, all female, were in their final (5th) year of college and thus were only months away from qualification.

Recently the Government of Pakistan made a submission to the UN Human Rights Council Geneva during UPR in May 2008 which it stated its commitment to investing and supporting the education of its citizens, as well as safeguarding the rights of all minority groups. It is thus most unfortunate that less than one month later, this violation of basic human rights has been allowed. It is hoped that this wholly unjust decision is revoked immediately.

Contact: Zinda M Bajwa, M.A.(Pol.Scie),LL.B.
Secretary Public Affairs, Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA
www.alislam.org, zmbajwa@yahoo.com , 646-498-8960
SOURCE: Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA
CONTACT: Zinda M Bajwa, M.A.(Pol.Scie),LL.B., Secretary Public Affairs,
of Ahmadiyya Muslim Community USA, +1-646-498-8960,
zmbajwa@yahoo.com/
WEB SITE: http://www.alislam.org/

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