KARACHI, Dec 8: The US Consul General in Karachi, Mary Witt, has stated that the US had no role in repatriation of foreign students studying in madressahs in Pakistan. He assured the seminary students that she would take up the issue with the government of Pakistan to allow them to complete their education beyond their exit date of Dec 31.

Ms Marry expressed these views while talking to foreign students at the Binoria University International in Site, which was visited by her on Thursday along with Consul Prisilla Sellers.

The US diplomats, according to a press release of the varsity, was impressed by the discipline and learning of students and faculties at the varsity. Students are being imparted training in all modern fields of learning including information technology at the Jamia Binoria.

She expressed her surprise over the fact that such a huge complex of the university was being run on modern lines through donations only.

“The government ought to encourage and assist such institutions,” she added, and seeing the discipline, working and atmosphere, she endorsed the views of the varsity Chancellor, Mufti Muhammad Naeem, that there was no truth in linking madressahs with terrorism, as extremism was the product of illiteracy. Thus, it was beyond comprehension that in a seat of learning like Jamia Binoria, terrorism could be possible, she said.

She expressed gratitude to Mufti Naeem and suggested other diplomats and foreign representatives to visit the madressahs, and open dialogues with them, which could dispel their 99 per cent of their doubts about seminaries.

The foreign students drew the attention of the US diplomat towards the exit date fixed by the government for their repatriation, which was December 31, while some students needed four to six months to get their degrees of religious scholar.

If they are forcibly ejected from their institutions, their future will be ruined, they said. They requested Ms Mary to help them in continuing and completing their education.

Earlier, on arrival, the US diplomats visited various faculties of the varsity including the IT department, technical school, Darul Ifta, library, kitchen and the girls section.

They also had a detailed discussion and briefing on the varsity, which was given by the Chancellor Mufti Muhammad Naeem, Administrator Maulana Ghulam Rasool, Maulana Muhammad Amin, Maulana Abdul Majid, Mufti Abdullah, and Maulana Masud Baig. The US diplomats also exchanged views with foreign students including those who had come from the US to study at the university.

The Ulema pointed out that madressahs were not places of breeding terrorism, but were nurturing and providing to society people with dignity, good nature and of strong character.