ISLAMABAD: Minister for Education, Training and Standards in Higher Education Mohammad Balighur Rehman on Thursday said the ministry would form a new committee to probe into the setting up of Israel’s stall at the International Islamic University Islamabad (IIUI).

Responding to a calling-attention notice moved by five lawmakers, the minister told the National Assembly that the students concerned were of the view that they had set up the stall for academic reasons. He told the house that there was also a stall of Palestine.

“Pakistan has not recognised Israel and strongly condemns its oppression on the Palestinians,” the minister said, adding the stall was not in the notice of the IIUI.

He said the government was investigating if there was any ulterior motive behind the setting up of the stall. “If evidence is found, the responsible persons would not be spared,” he said.

Deputy Speaker Murtaza Javed Abbasi interfered and said the inquiry was being carried out by the IIUI, which itself was being accused of setting up the stall. He suggested that a national level inquiry committee should probe the matter.

To this, the minister told the house that he would form a new committee to look into the matter. The calling attention notice was moved by four lawmakers from the JUI-F and one from the PML-N.

It may be noted that a group of students of the IIUI set up Israel’s stall as part of their learning activity at the Model United Nations (MUN) event. However, the issue drew widespread criticism from rightwing organisations, particularly the IIUI chapter of Islami Jamiat Talaba. Bowing to the criticism, the IIUI removed the dean of the faculty of Management Sciences and a student adviser who were responsible for the MUN event on the campus.

Meanwhile, a source at the IIUI told Dawn that the fact-finding committee was probing the matter. “The role of an attaché of an Islamic country, which had a major role in the IIUI in the past, is also being checked. He took snaps of Israel’s stall. We doubt he circulated the snaps on the social media,” said the source.

Talking to Dawn, Abdul Hameed Nayyar, a renowned physicist and educationist, defended the IIUI students who had set up the stall.

“It’s a fact that Israel is an oppressor. As far as discussing the issue of Israel and Palestine in educational institutions is concerned, I think this should be welcomed,” he said and added that the IIUI mishandled the entire episode.

“They [university administration] bowing to the criticism and pressure removed two faculty members. This should have not been done,” he said.

Published in Dawn, October 31st, 2014