By Iram Salim
(Pakdestiny.com) Pakistan is all set to close about 30 Pak-Turk schools in the country to ‘follow’ the ‘crazy’ order of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan.
Since Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif is very close to Erdogan he may never refuse him. Civil society has strongly opposed the idea of closing the Pak-Turk schools on the ground that the chain is being run by Erdogan’s rival Fethullah Gulan.
Erdogan has so far closed more than 1,000 Gulan’s related educational institutions in Turkey
Erdogan’s hatred for Gulan
“Has Erdogan gone super crazy in his hatred for Gulan that he has started closing down educational institutions having links with Gulan in Turky,” asked a rights activist while talking to Pak Destiny. Erdogan has so far closed more than 1,000 Gulan’s related educational institutions in Turkey and asked all friendly countries to close Gulan linked institutions after the faily coup by a section of military.
Erdogan has got arrested more than 13,000 sympathizers of Gulan including military officers
13,000 sympathizers of Gulan including military officers, judges arrested
Erdogan has got arrested more than 13,000 sympathizers of Gulan including military officers, judges and teachers. “It is a big shame on Erdogan who is clamping down on innocent people to forestall another coup,” said the activist saying this move will not counter the future coup but enhance the chances of it.
Although the PakTurk network officially denies being linked to “any political or religious movement”, it is widely believed by the Turkish government
Pak-Turk Schools in Pakistan to be closed
Today Dawn also reported saying the future of private schools set up by the PakTurk International Schools and Colleges network plunged into uncertainty a day after Turkey’s ambassador called on the Pakistan government to close down all the institutions backed by the Fethullah Gulen-inspired Hizmet movement.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s closeness with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s brotherly relations with Turkey put pressure on the federal government to make a decision that does not upset its strong ally. The Foreign Office is taking the ambassador’s request very seriously, and the foreign secretary has chaired a meeting to explore ideas on how to proceed.
The network of 28 schools and colleges in Islamabad, Lahore, Quetta, Karachi, Hyderabad, Khairpur and Jamshoro has a staff strength of 1,500 who teach around 10,000 students from pre-school to A level. “Since 1995, our schools have been giving quality education to Pakistani students with no political motivation or illegal activity,” says Ali Yilmaz, the Sindh education director for the association, adding that Turkish staff works in Pakistan legally through an NGO visa.
Although the PakTurk network officially denies being linked to “any political or religious movement”, it is widely believed by the Turkish government that the schools are being run by the supporters of Gulen in several countries, including Pakistan, for decades.
“Does reading Iqbal mean that you are part of an ‘Iqbal movement’?” asks a senior PakTurk school official while requesting anonymity. “We do agree with Gulen’s philosophy when it comes to quality education, but he is not our leader — we do not have any one founder or leader.”
Pak-Turk administration in shock
Officials of the network say the ambassador’s statement on the closure of schools is an extension of Erdogan’s aggressive ongoing purge of opposition voices in Turkey. They admit the growing estrangement between the association and the Turkish government representatives in Islamabad.
“Three years ago, Turkish ambassadors were very supportive of our schools. They attended school events and are in our photo albums. Now the ambassador is obeying government orders and saying this. We [the school network] are not doing anything different from what we have been doing for 20 years. The change has come in their stance,” says a member of their public relations office.
Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif’s closeness with Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan and Pakistan’s brotherly relations with Turkey put pressure on the federal government to make a decision that does not upset its strong ally.
“Yes, we cannot deny the initial contributions of our government, but now Erdogan has become power poisoned. We are not able to sleep when we think of what is happening back home. Five years ago, Turkey was a symbol of pride for the Muslim world, but not anymore.”
He also rejected Erdogan’s claim that Gulen was behind the botched coup that attempted to overthrow his government. “Why would a man of 87 be interested in coming into power? He believes in democracy human rights and freedom.”
The association’s education director in Sindh highlights schools’ valuable contribution to the Pakistani education sector and human development. “Our schools give scholarship to 30 per cent of the student body,” he says, adding that most of the scholarship students are from rural areas. “Our students represent Pakistan in Olympiads and competitions in the US, England and seven other countries.
“Anyone who understands what we are doing is happy with us.”
Pervaiz Rashid also not clear about Pak-Turk future
Information Minister Pervaiz Rashid says a tactful decision will be made. “We will definitely listen to them [the Turkish government] and their concerns,” he says, adding that no sudden move will be made and that the Foreign Office will write to the provinces as education is a provincial matter.
“We will also have to take into account that there are thousands of children studying at these schools. The government will take a decision that does not cause damage to the students yet also acknowledges the request of the Turkish government.”
A government official familiar with the matter says the schools are linked with Gulen and have long been a source of agitation for Erdogan. “The Turkish government has been asking Pakistan to close these schools for a while but we resisted. In Punjab, the PakTurk network had asked for a piece of land for school but they were not given the lease. The participation of the Punjab government in their activities has dwindled for this reason,” he says, requesting anonymity as he is not authorised to speak on the matter.
“Gulen has a trait: they are very legally sound so the government did not have any reason to take action against them.”
“But now, I don’t think the government can sustain these schools. There will be lot of pressure from Erdogan and Islamabad will be compelled to come up with an excuse to close them.”
Worrying Parents
Parents of the children studying in Pak-Turk schools are very much worried over the development wondering how this failed coup in Turkey could be linked with these institutions in Pakistan. It will be a shame if the government acts on Erdogan order and shut the schools, says a teacher. — Pak Destiny
It is shear injustice. Education should not be slaughtered in this way. Gulen’s revenge should not be settled by closing the schools
Yup.. this issue has emerged at public level after coup attempt in Turkey, however, it was existing from years. Even Embassy of Turkey in Islamabad disassociated itself from Pak-Turk schools..
Yes but schools should not promote certain ideology.
The schools are providing basic education and they’ve been quite successful.
Moreover, I don’t think students at the primary level are capable enough to take Gulen/Erdogan ideological influence.
Why should we accept dictations on our schooling system from anyone outside? Pak-Turk schools are providing quality education.
As far as I think …They are not safe anymore..we can expect any terrorist act in there …n the blame will be on erdogan or the gulen himself but we will be the victims
The best compromise is to ask them to no longer accept any new students and they close overtime or nationalise the remaining ones with compensation provided by turkey
If you go around taking over organisations in the future other schools are less likely to invest or expand in Pakistan
Or maybe just let Pakistan handle it’s own business?
Pak-Turk schools are thought to be very good, and the problem at hand is from the Turkish president’s side, not Pakistan. At least that’s how I understand it. Here’s IK tweet on this matter.
If MQM was running schools in turkey, it would be fair to ask for them to be shut down
In america these schools are actually really good and don’t preach any political Turkish philosophy. Closing them or making them into government run schools would be a disaster for students
My friend’s brother is studying in a Pak-turk school here in Peshawar and he is very happy with the school administration. II think that they should stop further such schools being started just to appease Erdogan.
Do not forget the gulen’s group killed 246 people and launched the coup d’etat