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WHILE the current controversy surrounding the Pak-Turk schools is indeed a delicate matter, involving bilateral relations with a friendly country, the fate of the Pakistani schoolchildren studying in these institutions should be the primary concern of the authorities. The interior ministry issued marching orders on Nov 14 to the Turkish staff of the schools — said to be linked to self-exiled preacher Fethullah Gulen — ahead of Turkish President Erdogan’s visit to this country last month. Once an ally of Mr Gulen, the Turkish president now blames the US-based cleric for masterminding the July coup, a charge Mr Gulen denies. Caught in the middle of this high political drama are the Pak-Turk schools; the Turkish foreign minister asked Pakistan to close the institutions in August. However, on Friday the Sindh High Court suspended the deportation of the schools’ Turkish staff; the high courts of KP and Punjab have similarly stayed the deportation of Turkish faculty. It is hoped the case of the affected staff is considered sympathetically and that there is least disruption in the students’ academic activities.
While it is inadvisable for Pakistan to get involved in Turkey’s internal politics, and while we value the warm relationship between Ankara and Islamabad, clearly, the matter of the Pak-Turk schools has been mishandled by the government. Ordering Turkish staff out of the country simply to please the Turkish leadership was not right. Surely, if any institution is believed to be involved in illegality, the state has a right to investigate. But there is no evidence the schools were involved in subversive activities; if anything, they had earned a reputation for commitment to educational excellence. The government displayed similar haste in the past when cracking down on international NGOs. If officialdom continues to treat foreign organisations working in the social sector so shabbily, few will want to function in such an environment. The government should work with the Turkish leadership to reach an acceptable solution that would allow the Turkish teachers to continue with their good work.
Published in Dawn, December 5th, 2016
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Comments (28) Closed
Dec 05, 2016 06:05am
The "...officialdom continues to treat foreign organisations working in the social sector so shabbily..." only to ensure an environment "...few will want to function in..."
Fiercely opposed to change, the elite consider the foreigners a threat to the established social and economic order.
Foreign journalists report the dark side of our system.
The foreign NGO's provide education and health care to the poor against the wishes of the elite.
Foreign academics bring in new ideas about learning and school management prompting the poor and lower middle class parents to demand the same quality of education in government schools.
The elite know how to neutralize threats to their system.
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Dec 05, 2016 11:53am
Perfect article....Only reflects the truth....Education, Turkish teachers and PakTurk students should not be snack in a sandwich... these Turkish teachers served us with dignity, honour and high values. They should have been sent respectfully. Hope Our government will revise the decision of expulsion of the teachers for the bright future of Pakistan.
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Dec 05, 2016 01:16pm
Balanced article. Thank you very much for your concern about PakTurk Schools and education in general. PakTurk Schools promote high quality education all around Pakistan. We need these schools. Pakistan needs these devoted and selfless teachers. Everybody must stand with education like you do.
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Dec 05, 2016 01:33pm
Well done.its all how you explained.
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Dec 05, 2016 10:10pm
Let them work in Pakistan. They are our guests. They have no connection with Mr. Gullen. Better to take steps for changing their ideology instead of suffering them financially. It may pose further serious threat to the internal peace of Turkey.
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Dec 06, 2016 12:15am
It is apparent that Nawaz Sharif puts his friends ahead of Pakistanis who are trying to give their children the best education they can.
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Dec 06, 2016 01:03pm
Aoa .i try to understand what the relationship is between failed coup and the turks who live here in Pakistan? Can anyone tell me the answer? If it is political then The schools arenot the place for politics. Pls my request from our leaders let us keep the educational institutions away from politics. We olve turkish nation so much.leader of turkey can be changed the policies but nation are the same.if we send those teachers away.we can not clean ourself in the history.pls let us thing again.thanks.
Asma Naz khan.
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Dec 06, 2016 01:23pm
Thank you so much for your article about pak turk as it may help us in bringing our teachers back
we want ou rteachers back
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Dec 06, 2016 01:36pm
The teachers and staff has nothing to do with the politics then why are they being dragged into the fuss.. Its high time we should realized the value addition of the seasoned professionals (from Turkey) into providing quality education to "OUR" children for OUR better future...
I strongly condemn the act and hurting education due to politics...
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Dec 06, 2016 02:22pm
They should see the school and successfull result and medals in different kind of olympiads. There is no any problem or any bad situation in the Pakturk. Everyone loves Pakturk and education systems they are to much lovely people and they sacrifice everything for Pakistan we should care of them in our country
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Dec 06, 2016 03:19pm
Thankyou so much for such informative artical.I hope our government will reconsider its Decision.PakTurk would be nothing without these People.
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Dec 06, 2016 03:50pm
Alhamdulilah at least someone's words are reflecting the reality.
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Dec 06, 2016 04:01pm
Good article. That's true that the government should not take part in turkey's internal problems. Those Turkish teachers are serving Pakistan, teaching our kids they why they are forcing to leave the country. Pakturk organization is one of the best organizations in Pakistan that is providing quality education to the children, not only teaching them books but polishing their qualities and inner abbilities and giving the students a platform to show their abbilities on national and international level. So the government must take its decision back and must allow them in schools. If they are not doing so then no international organizations will think about Pakistan to come and to promote Pakistani students.
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Dec 06, 2016 04:03pm
Surely, if any institution is believed to be involved in illegality, the state has a right to investigate. But there is no evidence the schools were involved in subversive activities.
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Dec 06, 2016 04:27pm
Thank you very much for your concern about PakTurk Schools and education in general. PakTurk Schools promote high quality education all around Pakistan. We need these schools. Pakistan needs these devoted and selfless teachers. Everybody must stand with education like you do.
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Dec 06, 2016 04:46pm
Very good article which reflects the true intentions and value of a education for our children. Being a Parent of my children I always admire all Turkish teachers and staff and always considered them my own family. I would strongly recommend our government to revisit its fabricated decision against these innocent Turkish brothers and sisters and let's flourish our kids through quality education while learning social and Islamic values through Pak Turk school and I would rather recommend that the educational model of these school may be replicated in hundreds by offering franchises across Pakistan which shall prove our solidarity for this unique educational system.
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Dec 06, 2016 05:12pm
It is a balanced article. Thanks for it. What changed the mind of governor people in Pakistan.
These schools are doing the same what they were doing in the last 20 years.
It is clear that PakTurk Schools are doing just education but nothing else.
And Turkish president has some agenda on these schools which he failed to get it.
He tried to use these schools as a political Center to achieve his hidden goal that he wants to be khalif of Islamic countries.
Our leaders should not be used by Erdogans dirty politics.He has accounts in Urdu in Facebook, Twitter and YouTube in Pakistan.
What's His interests..
Does our leaders have Accounts in Social media in Turkish language?
At the end we want our Turkish teachers back and we don't want PakTurk Schools to be politicized.
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Dec 06, 2016 05:21pm
It's very unfortunate that the government of Pakistan is ready to become a party in the battle between Erdogan and Gulen and thoughtlessly torpedo the future of many students attending Pak-Turk Schools across the country. Turkish schools do not exist only in Pakistan. They exist across the globe, in Asia, Europe, Africa and North America and there hasn't been even one country where only to please the president of a friendly country, the teachers and staff of these schools were so summarily ordered deported. I think the government needs to show some spine and work towards preserving these institutions that have been providing very valuable service to the struggling education system in the country. It also needs to show respect, rather than disdain, for the teachers and staff who have been working so hard to help the children in our country achieve academic excellence.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:03pm
This is shamefull act done by pakistani govt. that inocent and devoted workers of pakturk colleges are exiled from the country to whome they are not even harmfull but insted they are our role models who are busy in a strugle of educating our childrens. Every pakistani should condem this government attitude which is just done to please turkish prime minister only.
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Dec 06, 2016 06:20pm
The best thing which has happened to Pakistan so far is Pakturk school...
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Dec 06, 2016 06:25pm
The article is based on truth . As I've taught in PAKTURK Schools I really appreciate the love, devotion Turkish teachers showed is unforgettable. They are just spreading education with love and sincerity and nothing else. It is my heartly pray that they should live in Pakistan forever .
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Dec 06, 2016 08:28pm
İ support pakturk
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Dec 06, 2016 08:28pm
İ deeply support pakturk
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Dec 06, 2016 11:26pm
This shameful act of expelling Turkish teachers and their families of Pak Türk schools is very despicable on part on Nawaz Sharif government. As nothing sinister has been found against them or the institution.
We are brothers and sisters of Türkish nation, not of a particular party or person.
Nawaz Sharif must stop acting as a king and treating Pakistan as his ancestral conquered property. He must not propagate his personal interests and business at the expense of Pakistan and its people.
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Dec 07, 2016 12:25am
I dnt knw what our gov want frm turkish teachers they r innocent ppl giving high quality education full of edicates now how is it possible that ur enemy wants ur children bright future plz try to undrstand what r we doing with them they r such nice ppl
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Dec 07, 2016 12:34am
This is a good article to show our love with our beloved Turkish Staff.
i have met them personally in Peshawar compas.i felt happy that these teachers are so loving & giving quality education to our children.we all should stand with them till our govt takes back their wrong decision.
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Dec 07, 2016 06:11am
Govt should take back his decision of deporting Turkish staff , they should support them in this tough period of time and should continue working with them.
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Dec 07, 2016 12:15pm
yes this is very true, until we will not keep separate politics from education, being a nation we will never ever be developed.
our country relation is on one side.. .. if you have good relation with the world...and your own country education is weak so how we will go with the world.
education is our weapon and we have to think this... not individuals.
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