Pakistan: Intellectuals denounce 'Lahore top technical university' for anti-Ahmadi declaration requirement

A Pakistani university recently got an earful from a US academic in response to an assessment request of a professorship candidate whose 'religious declaration' was also included in the review package sent for evaluation.

Addressed to one Dr. Asif, reportedly 'the Registrar of a top technical university in Lahore,' the US professor, whose name has been redacted, expressed an immense disgust for the institution's practice of requiring such a declaration from faculty candidates. "While I take no position on the status of the members of the Qadiani Group or the Lahori Group or the Ahmadi congregation a Muslim or non-Muslims, I deplore the fact that an institution of higher learning requires such a declaration from faculty candidates."

"A university is a laboratory of ideas where any religious-membership test must be regarded as anathema," the professor further wrote to the Registrar.

The professor went on to reject the Pakistani university's request saying he/she would not want to be associated "with any religion-based exclusionary practice and therefore will not submit my assessment."

Several intellectuals of Pakistani origin with international standings took note with concern of the faith-based selections requirement in Pakistani elite education institutions and sought clarifications.

Islamabad based physicist, Dr. Isa Daudpota, addressing the Higher Education Commission of Pakistan (HEC) in his semi-public communique, demanded that the HEC clarify its position publicly about the faith declaration requirement for promotions such as the one exemplified by 'the Registrar of the top technical university in Lahore.'

"Would this become a requirement for becoming a faculty member too?  Would PhD students be asked to sign the same statement and will undergraduates need it pasted in their project theses?  If these appear ridiculous, so does the requirement for promotion," Dr. Daudpota wrote to the HEC Chairperson, Prof. Dr. Mukhtar Ahmed.

"Will the HEC clarify its position publicly?" demanded Dr Daudpota adding that "This can hardly enhance the tarred reputation of Pk universities internationally."

Another noted intellectual, a geologist and research scientist from Pakistan, Dr J, whose full name is being withheld, joined Dr Isa Daudpota "in condemning the policy of discrimination on the grounds of faith."

"Pakistan higher education needs your benign intervention if the university is discriminating on the basis of belief," Dr J asked the HEC chief.

Dr J asked the HEC to inquire whether the applicant voluntarily provided the declaration or it is a requirement by the university. "If it is the latter, it is terrible indeed."

"The universities should be open to the best faculty, irrespective of their belief," Dr J added.

In his opinion, Dr J says, "diversity of social, cultural and academic backgrounds contributes to the strength of a society and an institution."

"Once people are hired, only performance should be used as the yardstick for promotion," Dr J further asserted.

"I wonder how can our highly educated "intellectuals" assume that 1) the non-Muslim citizens of Pakistan are not equal to the Muslims, and 2) Muslims in Pakistan are better human beings or more patriotic than non-Muslims?"

"What kind of message of intolerance are we giving to the outside world?" Dr. J forcefully questioned.

http://ahmadiyyatimes.blogspot.com/2015/10/pakistan-intellectuals-denounce-lahore.html