Christian Worker Sacked for Standing Up to Islamic Abuse at London’s Heathrow Airport

By Peter Wooding
Europe Bureau Chief for ASSIST News Service

LONDON, ENGLAND (ANS) -- A CHRISTIAN worker at London’s Heathrow Airport has been dismissed after she stood up for a colleague who was bullied and harassed by Islamic fundamentalists at the UK’s leading Airport and border control.

Mrs Halawi picture courtesy of Paul Grover The Telegraph

According to a press release on behalf of the Christian Legal Centre, despite working at Terminal 3 for 13 years, and having many friends amongst staff of all religions, Nohad Halawi was summarily fired following un-substantiated complaints by five Muslims about her conduct. Mrs Halawi had persistently complained to management over personal religious abuse and harassment from Islamic staff, who even mocked her about “shitty Jesus.”

The press release added that Mrs Halawi has been told by Autogrill Retail UK Limited, trading as World Duty Free; and Caroline South Associates, for whom she sold perfumes and other goods, that as a part-time, commission-based worker in Duty Free, she has no legal employment rights, either from the company, nor Caroline South Associates. She had her security pass removed by Heathrow Duty Free and told she was no longer welcome to trade at Heathrow Airport. She has been threatened with costs if she attempts to go to an Employment Tribunal, despite the fact that this forum is cost free.

Christian Concern says if Mrs Halawi’s allegations about the influence of Islamic fundamentalism at Heathrow is true, this case raises huge issues of national security, religious discrimination and the rights and welfare of thousands of workers across the country who are ‘technically’ outside Employment Law, but are used by many agencies as ‘employees.’ Mrs Halawi has asked the Christian Legal Centre for support. They have instructed top Human Rights Barrister, Paul Diamond, to represent her.

In an attempt to bring into the open the potential security and fundamental religious and employment rights issues of this, Mrs Halawi is seeking to take both Autogrill Retail UK Limited and Caroline South Associates to the Employment Tribunal – fully expecting both to ask the Court for a technical ‘Strike Out’ on the grounds that neither had any employer responsibility to her. However Christian Concern says, such is the seriousness of the issues that her barrister, Mr Diamond, has asked that the Court do not make such a judgment until the facts of the case are heard.

In her submission to the Tribunal, Mrs Halawi has wide support from other Heathrow staff, including other muslims, as she tries to clear her name, regain her job and expose the identity of supporters of radical Islam at the heart of the UK border.

An Open Petition, signed by 22 staff at Heathrow, including muslims, states:

“We are shocked and saddened by the recent dismissal of our colleague and friend, Nohad, as a result of malicious and unfounded allegations made against her.

“WDF is a large organisation that employs individuals from many cultural and religious backgrounds... whilst some may have a different point of view on a multitude of subjects, it should not mean that this should allow certain individuals to use this fact to concoct a tissue of lies and maliciously use them in a concerted manner against a fellow colleague with the view to securing their dismissal. We find this incident particularly worrying as it appears to allow individuals to perniciously use the ‘race and religion card’ to besmirch a fellow colleague, with the intention of securing their dismissal from gainful employment.”

In further evidence to employers, more staff, supporting Nohad, heavily criticise a WDF manager, stating: “He discriminates against us and only favours the bullies and those who always give him gifts and testers.

“Those bullies who accused our colleague are extremists working with us, and he supports them. They try to convert us to Islam and we really find their ideas distasteful to discuss such religious matters on the shop floor, yet they twisted it around to put the blame on our dear colleague. Her only crime was to defend a colleague who has been bullied and harassed by these individuals. We have all been too scared to report these individuals as we all know we will not be taken seriously.”

Andrea Minichiello Williams, Chief Executive of the Christian Legal Centre, said:

“Nohad’s case is one of the most serious we have ever handled. It raises huge issues. First, there is the level of Islamic fundamentalism prevalent at our main point of entry to the UK.

Secondly, there are very real issues of religious discrimination, which it would appear those in authority are turning a blind eye to, using the current loop-holes in employment law as an excuse.

Thirdly, there is a very big issue of justice. Nohad represents tens of thousands of people across the UK who work, in all but name, as ‘employees’ for companies and yet, have absolutely no employment rights. This is a case which, if simply ‘Struck Out’ by the Employment Tribunal as a technicality, will demonstrate how woefully inadequate the UK’s employment legislation is, and will ensure that the fundamental security and religious issues of this case are not properly investigated.”

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Peter Wooding is an award-winning TV, radio and print journalist and media consultant under the name of Peter Wooding Productions (www.peterwoodingproductions.com). Having previously spent 10 years as news editor with UCB Radio in the UK, he has travelled extensively reporting from countries including Russia, Serbia, Ukraine, Dubai, South Korea, Zambia, Gambia, Mozambique, Croatia, Israel and India. He now reports regularly for CBN News, ASSIST News Service, GDOP London, Russian Ministries, Whispering Word and Sorted Magazine. Peter and wife Sharon live in North Wales, UK with their three children. Passionate to see God’s Justice and Mercy impact lives, Peter is director of a new UK ministry Mercy Projects International (www.mercyproject.org.uk) to help at-risk young people in Ukraine, Russia, Armenia, Kosovo, the Middle East and beyond. Contact Peter for consultation at: peter@peterwoodingproductions.com or tel. +44 1244 549167/+44 7500 903067

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Yemen power transition tainted by ‘immunity’ deal

A power-transfer agreement reportedly granting Yemeni President Ali Abdullah Saleh and others immunity from prosecution in exchange for leaving office, deals a serious blow to victims of human rights violations, critics say.

While only part of the agreement, which was signed at the end of last week, has been made public, it is widely believed to offer the President and some of those serving under him immunity from facing criminal investigations and prosecutions for a string of serious abuses.

It is based on a deal originally brokered by the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) and comes after negotiations facilitated by a UN envoy.

“Granting immunity as part of the transition agreement would deliver a hammer blow to accountability for human rights violations by blocking the investigation or prosecution of high-ranking officials,” commented Philip Luther, Amnesty International’s Acting Director for the Middle East and North Africa.

“Immunity leads to impunity. It denies justice and deprives victims of the truth and full reparations,” he added.

Under international law, including the Convention against Torture and Other Cruel, Inhuman or Degrading Treatment or Punishment, Yemen is obliged to investigate and, where there is sufficient admissible evidence, to prosecute anyone suspected of such crimes.

President Saleh, who has been in power for 33 years, has hinted at stepping down several times in the past months, only to change course later.

Under the GCC transition deal, Ali Abdullah Saleh will retain the title of president until elections take place within 90 days, but will hand over some presidential powers to Vice-President Abd Rabbu Mansour Hadi, enabling him to implement the agreement. A member of the opposition will head a government of national reconciliation, with ministerial posts divided up among political parties. The new government would remain in power for an interim period of two years.

The deal was welcomed by international governments, but sparked protest from some Yemenis who oppose it, calling for Saleh and other officials to stand trial for their role in abuses.

Armed Saleh supporters opened fire on a group of unarmed protesters marching against the decision from the protest camp known as Change Square in Sana’a on 24 November 2011.

At least five were killed by gunshot wounds to the head, neck and chest, and dozens more were wounded. Security forces were reported to have been spotted but did not attempt to intervene to stop the attacks.

Over the past 10 months, more than 200 people have been killed and thousands injured as security forces and armed Saleh supporters attempted to quell mostly peaceful pro-reform protests in Sana’a and elsewhere.

Amnesty International and the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights have called for an independent, international investigation into Yemen’s ongoing human rights violations.

Despite a fact-finding mission to Yemen by the UN Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights in July finding evidence of serious crimes under international law, the UN Security Council last month issued a resolution calling for the signature and implementation of an agreement. The resolution was based on the GCC’s proposed transition deal, which was believed to contain an immunity provision.

The Security Council resolution also underlined the need for a comprehensive, independent and impartial investigation consistent with international standards into alleged human rights abuses and violations, with a view to avoiding impunity and ensuring full accountability.

“By lending their support to the transition deal, it appears that UN officials have allowed wiggle room for serious human rights violators to go unpunished in Yemen and violated the UN Secretary General’s directive that prohibits brokering peace agreements which contain immunity clauses,” said Amnesty's Philip Luther.

“The only way to ensure accountability is to carry out an independent, international investigation into the allegations of serious crimes under international law, regardless of the rank or affiliation of those responsible.

“Any such investigation should have the ability to refer cases to Yemeni prosecuting authorities so that suspects can face trial wherever there is sufficient admissible evidence,” he concluded.

[Ekk/3]

Covert attempt to convert Christian pre-schoolers?

Joseph Tawie

 | November 16, 2011

Christian parents in rural Sarawak are uncomfortable listening to the pre-school children reciting Islamic prayers at home.

KUCHING: Parents in Sarawak are concerned about the subtle attempts at imparting Islamic teachings and practices to children in pre-schools in the rural areas.

Debating the 2012 budget in the current Sarawak Legislative Assembly sitting, Ba Kelalan assemblyman Baru Bian said there was a ‘very real problem’ because parents were complaining that their children come home from school reciting Islamic prayers.

“Many rural areas are predominantly Christian, and there is a very real problem of subtle attempts at imparting Islamic teachings and practices in pre-schools.

“There are reports from parents of school children that their children come home from school and recite the Islamic ways of praying at home.

“From my own constituency of Ba’Kelalan, I have personally received reports of such incidents that happened to children from two families,” said Bian, who is also Sarawak PKR chief.

According to news reports, the Kemas director-general Puhat Mat Nayan said that as at 2010, Kemas had established 539 new pre-school classes and will open another 2,000 new ones.

Last year, Kemas opened 150 kindergartens in the state and for this year, they have set up 300 more to increase the accessibility to early childhood education.

Ensure fair teachings

Bian said that the people are concerned that these pre-schools are staffed by teachers from outside the local community and worst if they come from Peninsular Malaysia, the majority of whom are Muslims.

“Added to this concern is the news that Kemas schools will be taking on the Permata syllabus, as announced in Sabah in July this year by National Permata programme patron Rosmah Mansor.

“I was informed that one of the subjects in the Permata curriculum is Islamic teachings in class.

“Can we be guaranteed that all non-Muslim children be exempted from these classes or lessons?

“What are the steps taken by the state government to ensure that teachers of different faiths do not impart or teach their beliefs to the children of different faiths or beliefs in these Tadika or Pra-Sekolah in the state?” asked Bian.

Bian said to ensure fair teachings in Kemas, teachers from the local communities should be recruited.

“I propose that local teachers from the local community be recruited to teach in these Tadika or pra-sekolah to avoid any conflict of religious beliefs.

“Secondly, I propose that allocations should be made to NGOs and religious organisations to start or support their own tadika or pre-schools to reflect our support of imparting knowledge to all notwithstanding their racial or religious backgrounds,” Bian said.

Re-direct Permata funds

On the teaching of mother tongue language, Bian asked the government to allocate an official budget every year for the teaching of languages of all the different races in Sarawak from pre-school to Primary Six level.

“The loss of our people’s mother tongue is a serious threat and the precursor to the loss of our culture and identity.

“The preservation of our languages must be given priority or our people will slowly lose their unique and distinct cultures.

“With the common incidences of inter-marriage between different races in Sarawak, this request needs immediate implementation, “said Bian.

He suggested that funds allocated to Kemas or Permata be used instead to train teachers to teach in their local languages or dialects.

[main photo from Kemas website]

Former British Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali calls for immediate release of arrested Indian pastor

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

OXFORD, UK (ANS) -- Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali, patron of the UK-based Release International www.releaseinternational.org , has called for the immediate release of an Indian pastor accused of bribing Muslims to convert to Christianity.

Release International says Pastor Chander Mani Khanna from Srinagar, Kashmir Province, was arrested after being summoned by a local Muslim mufti (religious leader) to appear before a Sharia court -- and answer allegations of converting Muslim children by offering bribes.

According to AsiaNews a video appeared on YouTube showing Pastor Khanna baptizing Muslim converts. Witnesses claim that police beat the converts to make them give evidence against the pastor.

In a media update, Release International says that as tensions grow, there are fears for Pastor Khanna’s life and that a fatwa may be issued against him.

Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali

Release International Patron Bishop Michael Nazir-Ali said: “I know the Reverend Chander Mani Khanna, and he is a respected parish priest of the Church of North India who would never use underhand methods to evangelize.

“I am astonished that such a person can be arrested by an India committed to religious freedom and democracy. I call not only for his immediate and unconditional release but also for protection for him and his family. Let us pray that freedom and justice will prevail in Kashmir for everyone: Muslim, Christian and Hindu.”

Bishop Nazir-Ali was the 106th Bishop of Rochester in the Church of England: he retired in September 2009, taking up a position as director of the Oxford Centre for Training, Research, Advocacy and Dialogue. He holds dual citizenship of both Pakistan and Britain.

Release International says Pastor Khanna denies the claims. The Global Council of Indian Christians (GCIC) believes the charges arose because the pastor failed to get a local Muslim's son into the Christian school of his choice.

The GCIC has written to the Government of Jammu and Indian Kashmir to intervene on behalf of the pastor, who leads All Saints Church (part of the Church of North India).

According to AsiaNews, police arrested Pastor Khanna on grounds of promoting enmity between religious groups and outraging religious feeling.

Release International says the GCIC reports that tensions between Muslims and Christians in Kashmir have been rising since last year when a US pastor burned copies of the Koran in public.

Through its international network of missions Release International serves persecuted Christians in 30 countries around the world by supporting pastors and Christian prisoners and their families; supplying Christian literature and Bibles, and working for justice.

Follow this link to the story on AsiaNews: www.asianews.it/news-en/Kashmir-pastor-arrested-for-baptising-seven-Muslims-23237.html 

For further information, please contact Release International on +44 (0)1689 823491, or by email atinfo@releaseinternational.org  Website: www.releaseinternational.org 

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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Iranian Christian News Agency Exposes Unsubstantiated claim of Security Authorities Regarding Evangelical Activities by AOG Church

By Michael Ireland
Senior International Correspondent, ASSIST News Service

TEHRAN, IRAN (ANS) -- Exaggerating has become a habit of news providers for government-supported and regime-dependent media in Iran who introduce themselves as hidden soldiers, says Mohabat News (www.mohabatnews.com ) the Iranian Christian News Agency.

The inside of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran. (Photo courtesy Mohabat News).

The news agency says that an unsubstantiated report about evangelistic activities of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran “was obviously written by one of the hidden soldiers of the 12th Imam (Secret Security authorities) to motivate senior security authorities. It also appears that this shabby act was intended to spark anti-Christian feelings within Iran.”

MohabatNews says Iranian security services, through state-sponsored media outlets, “have claimed that the Markaz Church, an Assemblies of God church in Tehran, is extremely active in propagation and sending evangelical Christian groups throughout the country to attract Muslim youth to Christianity.”

The state-sponsored news media websites say: "The congregation of the Church of Markaz are Christian extremists who use various ways to bring members to their church and to convert Iranian Muslim youth. 

They try to destroy the image of the sacred regime of Iran in the world. They deceive young people who are financially in need by promising to grant them refugee status in other countries." Mohabat News says the websites also report that these evangelists, with the support of American mass media, want to show a negative image of the Islamic republic to the international community.

Mohabat News stated: “But making such repeated claims by the staff of government-sponsored media is more like a report to the security authorities and organizations rather than a piece of news. Such action seems to have an unstated purpose behind it.

“Presentations of this kind of biased news about Christianity and Iranian Christians has taken place at the same time as the Supreme Leader, scholars and Islamic clerics -- as well as senior authorities and staff of the Revolutionary Guards and other security and intelligence forces -- are making serious efforts to oppose Christianity in Iran.”

Mohabat News went on to say: “These unsubstantiated and misleading claims about the activities of churches to attract Muslim youth to Christianity are being made at time when government, religious and security authorities have become particularly sensitive on such issues. The churches don't consider it necessary to take such actions to invite Muslim youth to Christianity!

“Meanwhile, as a result of the increasing awareness of Iranian citizens following the establishment of the pure Islamic government and in spite of threats, torture, beatings, imprisonments and executions, Iranian youth are turning from Islam in large numbers and seeking to base their lives and religious beliefs on their own investigation.”

From closure of churches to shutting down of worship services of Farsi-speaking Christians

Despite all the pressures and threats by the regime, the movement to Christianity in Iran has grown to the extent that some (generally Farsi-speaking) churches in some cities were closed and locked by the security forces, Mohabat News reports.

“In the other churches that were not closed, these forces prevented Farsi-speaking Christians (mainly Christian converts) from entering. The Assyrian church of Shahr-Ara in Tehran is an example of this. Farsi-speaking Christians formed a large number of its congregation before security forces with the cooperation of the representative of the Assyrians in the Islamic parliament (Majles-e-shoraye-eslami), dismissed the pastor of the church and cancelled the Farsi worship services there.”

In another case and prior to this incident, there were routine Farsi church services being held in the AOG church of Markaz in Tehran, but on Friday, October 30, 2009 security authorities threatened the church leaders and cancelled the Friday evening services which were being held in two services because of the huge number of attendees.

However, says Mohabat News, these restrictions have made every believer's house into a church and have caused the regime to be afraid of the house church movement and active churches. The authorities also seem to be afraid of historical churches which have become historical monuments and belong to the history of the country.

Mohabat News added: “The destruction of the historical church in the city of Kerman didn't cause an outcry from any Iranian authorities, not even the voice of the spineless representatives for religious minorities in the Islamic parliament of Iran. These are all examples of the attitude of the regime towards Iranian Christians and their places of worship.”

Spying on the activities of the churches
According to Mohabat News, “The dear person who writes such reports about the activities of the AOG church of Tehran and raises such claims, knows very well that all church activities, programs and services in Iran and, in this case the AOG church of Tehran, are under careful observation by security and intelligence agents.

“Though the writer of this article comes from the same church, it is well known that all the efforts and activities of the leadership of the AOG church of Tehran have always been according to the word of God which says: ‘Submit yourselves for the Lord's sake to every authority instituted among men: whether to the king, as the supreme authority, or to governors, who are sent by him to punish those who do wrong and to commend those who do right." (1 Peter 2:13-14).

A church is not like a mosque in receiving government funding
Mohabat News goes on to say: “It's been claimed that the AOG church in Iran is taking advantage of the poverty of jobless youth, especially those who lack sufficient funds to get married and deceives those who are weak in their Islamic faith.

“The purpose of this claim is not clear. However, the churches of Iran don't receive any kind of government support. All their funding comes from their congregations and believers who want to give to God and ministries in the form of tithes and offerings. In a situation where churches are facing financial challenges to even repair the church building, how could they support the youth in matters of marriage, employment and financial problems? Is it possible that such ideas come from the way mosques are managed since they receive huge amounts of money from government only to bring people to the prayer sessions? Allocation of a budget of $50 million USD to the mosque of Jamkaran only to develop its facilities to attract more people to the mosques, or huge funding of the Revolutionary Guards (Sepah-e-Pasdaran) to build mosques in Europe, are some of the examples of the major investment of the Iranian regime in propagating Islam.”

Mohabat News asks: “Isn't it true that all these attempts have failed to satisfy the spiritual needs of young people and to release them from their financial and social challenges?”

Seminary scholars complaining about the tendency of the youth toward Christianity
Despite three decades of effort and millions of dollars of investments to support the propagation of Islam, the regime feels it must use force, fear and threats to oppose Christianity, Mohabat News stated.

“It is interesting that all these attempts have been ineffective and the seminary scholars are complaining day and night about the drift of youth to Christianity. (Mohabat News has discussed this matter in detail in previous articles).

Mohabat News said: “The distaste of Iranian youth for Islam is a troubling reality that religious and government authorities are aware of and acknowledge. Their speeches and the actions of security authorities to crack down on Christians are also a clear confirmation of this fact.”

It adds: “The unsubstantiated report on the evangelistic activities of the Assemblies of God church of Markaz in Tehran was obviously written by one of the hidden soldiers of the 12th Imam (Secret Security authorities) to motivate the security authorities. It appears that this shabby act was intended to spark anti-Christian feelings within Iran. Without any reasoning, it seems that the author of the report is trying to influence the authorities of the regime and to show his loyalty towards the regime.”

Mohabat News concludes: “Such claims have been published over and over in media supported by the regime. They also mentioned other subjects, including distribution of books and flyers, etc., but Mohabat News does not consider it necessary to mention them here in view of the length of the article.”

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** Michael Ireland is the Senior International Correspondent for ANS. He is an international British freelance journalist who was formerly a reporter with a London (United Kingdom) newspaper and has been a frequent contributor to UCB UK, a British Christian radio station. While in the UK, Michael traveled to Canada and the United States, Albania,Yugoslavia, Holland, Germany,and Czechoslovakia. He has reported for ANS from Jamaica, Mexico, Nicaragua, Israel, Jordan, China,and Russia. Michael's volunteer involvement with ASSIST News Service is a sponsored ministry department -- 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' (MIMM) -- of A.C.T. International of P.O.Box 1649, Brentwood, TN 37024-1649, at: Artists in Christian Testimony (A.C.T.) International where you can make a donation online under 'Donate' tab, then look for 'Michael Ireland Media Missionary' under 'Donation Category' to support his stated mission of 'Truth Through Christian Journalism.' Michael is a member in good standing of the National Writers Union, Society of Professional Journalists, Religion Newswriters Association, Evangelical Press Association and International Press Association. If you have a news or feature story idea for Michael, please contact him at: ANS Senior International Reporter

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Female student expelled in Pakistan because of blasphemy allegations

By Rodrick Samson, 
Special to ASSIST News Service

LAHORE, PAKISTAN (ANS) -- A female Ahmadi student in her final year of studies, has been expelled from CIIT (COMSATS Institute of Information Technology) in Lahore on allegations of blasphemy.

According to sources, Rabia Saleem was accused of blasphemy by the student wing of the a banned organization TKN (Tahaffuz-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwwat). Rabia Saleem is a student in her final year at CIIT and lived in the hostel. Apparently, she removed a banner displayed by TKN against the Ahmadi community which had been posted on the hostel door. She is an Amhadi herself, and the hostel guard saw her removing the poster and created a scene, exploiting the situation and accusing her of committing blasphemy by dishonoring the verses of the Quran.

Nasreen Ghulam, another CIIT student, said the banner displayed at the hostel door contained material against the Ahmadis, but didn't have any Quranic verses, and that Saleem was falsely accused for her faith.

Rasheed Ahmed Khan, the Registrar of the institute, denied any connection between the removal of the poster and the student’s faith. “Rabia Saleem has been expelled for violating the discipline of the Institution and not complying with the rules and regulations.” He refused to provide a copy of the notice that was served to the student on her dismissal.

A CIIT faculty member, on condition of anonymity said, "It was a petty matter, and could have been resolved by the warden and the administration, but the warden, along with the security guard and CIIT administration, exploited the situation against the Ahmadi student.

“The administration has a very discriminating attitude towards religious minorities and never leaves a chance to take action against them. In the past, several similar incidents have taken place, but the administration allowed the Tahaffuz-e-Khatam-e-Nabuwwat to continue their propaganda against the Ahmadis. The administration allows the TKN to act, and because of the support from the administration they have become stronger. The religious organizations should be barred from all the educational institutes, they are harboring terrorists by allowing such organizations to act freely and do whatever they like."

The TKN has been displaying banners against the Ahmadis, and the administration has expelled the student with TKN`s support and allowed them to display banners containing hatred against the religious minorities and to protest against the Ahmadis. They announced they will not allow any Ahmadi student to live on the campus and will even kill if any of them resists. TKN has also started campaigns against the Ahmadis on various social networks as well.

The CIIT administration is allowing such extremist activities to continue in the campus, and the concerned authorities and the Ministry of Education are silently observing the situation, while allowing the propaganda against the Ahmadi students.

The Ahmadis have been living in continuous fear since earlier this year an Ahmadi Seminary was attacked in Lahore, and hundreds of innocent people were killed. In the past several years, persecution against the Ahmadis has been on the rise.

In September, an 8th grader was expelled for a spelling mistake in the Urdu exam in Abbotabad. Her mother was also transferred from Abbotabad.

Humanitarian organizations, Masihi Foundation and Life for All Pakistan, have come out against the incident and issued a joint statement, which says: "We strongly condemn the incident. The administration of the institution must be condemned for supporting a religious organization and allowing them to act against the Code of Conduct. The institution`s spokesperson said that the Ahmadi student was expelled for violating discipline; (but) displaying banners against religious minorities is not a violation of the discipline? Openly announcing a religious minority liable to be killed is allowed in an educational institution, is this not violation of the regulations and humanity? Where are we headed? Why was a banner against a religious minority allowed to be displayed at the hostel door? Many students suffer discrimination in the educational institutions, but no one addresses the matter. I fail to understand the role of the education Ministry, if they don’t do anything for the education, then what is the need of having such a department, it is merely a burden on the nation, simply abolish such ministries which are not performing their designated duties. The state is allowing the religious hatred to grow and is not taking notice of the growing persecution. The extremist mindset is growing and taking over. If this continues, Pakistan will lose all the sane people alive. Ensuring the safety of the minorities is the state`s responsibility.”

“Quaid-e-Azam,the founder of Pakistan, said every citizen has the right to practice his or her religion freely, anyone`s religion is their personal matter, and not the matter of the State.

“Is today`s Pakistan Quaid-e-Azam`s Pakistan? The Director of COMSATS should have immediately resigned because of such a shameful incident.

“This is the reason religious and state affairs should be kept separate. The concerned authorities must intervene and take the necessary action. The growing extremism in the educational institutions must be checked, no one should be allowed to speak or do anything against any religion. Tolerance and harmony must be promoted, the religious leaders must play a positive role and condemn such incidents, so that in the future, students like Rabia Saleem do not suffer. The only Pakistani who won the Noble Peace Prize, Abdul Salam, was never given the place he deserved only because he was an Ahamdi. It is about time the government takes steps to end the religious extremism before it consumes the nation like a plague."

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Rodrick Samson is a freelance journalist based in Pakistan

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