Posted on 08/02/2005 2:14:39 AM PDT by CarrotAndStick
ISLAMABAD: President Pervez Musharraf may be threatening to send them packing, but foreign students in Pakistan's numerous madrassas seem to have plenty of friends in the administration.
Senior Pakistani politicians and religious leaders have come out openly in support of the foreign students, saying they are not the terrorists the West is making them out to be.
"There is no proof of involvement of any madrassa (seminary) student in any terrorist activity," said Chaudhry Shujaat Hussain, chief of the ruling Pakistan Muslim League.
"I will take up the matter with the interior ministry," Hussain said, adding that students who got no objection certificates (NOCs) from the government to study in Pakistan should be allowed to complete their studies.
The fear of crackdown is real, and some students say it will be best if they did go home.
The opposition religious alliance Muttahida Majlis-e-Amal (MMA) has vowed to resist the government's move to expel foreign students studying in religious schools in the wake of Western pressure following the London bomb attacks.
"This is a violation of human rights," thundered MMA deputy leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri.
"These students have come here to get religious education and we will resist all moves to expel them before the completion of their education. We are considering filing an appeal in the Supreme Court against Musharraf's announcement."
The hundreds of madrassas across Pakistan are home to thousands of Pakistani students, mostly from poor families. Many foreigners also come to study in these madrassas. Western countries see a strong link between these schools and the terrorist networks in Pakistan.
Haideri, himself a madrassa teacher, said: "I can guarantee that no student is a terrorist. They are here to get a religious education."
He warned that if the students were asked to leave before they completed their studies, "the MMA would start an agitation against the government".
All foreign students eventually return to their countries, he claimed.
However, hundreds of foreign students in the madrassas are worried about the government decision with some also preparing to go home.
"I have been here for the last four years with only a year left to finish my (bachelor's) degree. I am afraid that the (Pakistan) government will send me back to my country," said Abdul Qayyaum, a Nepalese student.
Qayyaum studies in Jamia Salfia in Islamabad and speaks fluent English, Arabic, Urdu and his native language. He said he came to Pakistan on a scholarship programme by the Jamia Salfia (University of Excellence).
Most of Jamia's programmes are sponsored by the Saudi government or individuals and currently some 2,500 students are studying in their different campuses. Ideologically, the Jamia is closer to the Lashker-e-Taiba of Hafiz Mohammed Saeed.
However, Hafiz Kamran Khan, a Jamia teacher, said they have talked to the government and "we have been ensured that students with valid documents would not be expelled before the completion of their studies".
A South African student who requested not to be named said: "The decision scared me. I don't have any choice but to leave Pakistan." The student is studying in a religious school in Dera Ismail Khan run by the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam, one of MMA's six parties.
There are over a hundred foreign students in Islamabad's Islamic International University with expired visas. Since they have come here on submission of valid documents, they are not among those targeted by the government.
Indonesian student Raza Hussein, who enrolled for a five-year course at Jamia Ashrafia a year ago, also voiced disappointment but said he would continue his studies in his homeland.
"I think if the madrassa (school) administration asks me to leave, I'll have to go, but I would have liked to complete what I came here for," he said.
Most school administrators have asked the students to get a clearance from the interior ministry for continuing with the studies.
"I think we should respect the government and state laws," said Abdur Rahim, administrator of Islamabad-based Jamia Rizvia.
He said they were ready to provide complete data of foreign students to the government. "We have made a rule that from now on we will not take students without valid documents."
"This is a violation of human rights," thundered MMA deputy leader Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri.
Haideri, himself a madrassa teacher, said: "I can guarantee that no student is a terrorist. They are here to get a religious education."
"...a scholarship programme by the Jamia Salfia (University of Excellence)."
BWAHAHAHAHA!
Ping!
Pervez oughta make a deal. The madrassas may continue as long as they've got an observer present. Watch the jihad talk be chilled to absolute zero.
Add another dozen HAHAs to that! I wonder if he would volunteer to be held hostage to back his guarantee.
>>I am afraid that the (Pakistan) government will send me back to my country," said Abdul Qayyaum, a Nepalese student.
Fake Nepalese and SouthAfrican passports in Heathrow.
Now check out some of the nationalities in Pak madarrsa's.
Mush is trying to have it both ways..
Wrong.. Mush is trying to not have a civil war on his hands while at the same time slowly chipping away at the movement.
He's smart.. not stupid. A civil war puts the whole world at risk.
He must allow US authorities to question Abdul Kadir Khan.
Nope, its you who is wrong. Mushy has created a bugaboo about a "civil war", a "takeover by the jihadis" and "threat to his own life"........ and the Americans are buying it.
It works for him...
It gives him a nice alibi for not going all out against the terrorists. He is shamming a GWOT in which his actual sympathies are with the terrorists, but while he is at it he can always milk the US for more aid.
So as it turns out.....he can keep the terrorists and also have the money.
Strong opinion there Khan. You got any prooft to back that up?
"You got any prooft to back that up?"
Well if London, Egypt and Srinagar wasnt enough then you will have to wait till the next suicide bombings or terrorist attacks happens somewhere. You will get your "proof".
BTW everythings fine in Afganistan, no? I mean the Taleban jihadis havent started regrouping as yet have they?
I still think Mush shpuld be given "an offer he can't refuse". It seems previous niceties have not succeded.
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