Editorial Opinion: Mistreating [Turkish] Teachers


Date posted: October 4, 2017

In a recent development, a Turkish national was picked up along with his family from his Lahore home by a large contingent of what appeared to be part of a law-enforcement agency. The action — conducted in the dead of the night and without any legal formality or procedure — gave the impression that the target was some high-profile terrorist or most wanted person. A former principal with the Pak-Turk Schools system, Mesut Kacmaz, provided quality education to thousands of Pakistani boys and girls all over the country. The manner in which he and his family were dragged out of their house and abused is a shameful chapter in this on-going saga with the Pak-Turk schools. The school system ran afoul of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan soon after the failed July 2016 coup against him and the government then led by Nawaz Sharif was pressured into shutting down the entire schooling system — which left thousands of children with no place to study. The Turkish staff was ordered back to their home country.


It is a shameful way to thank those [Turkish teachers] who have worked hard to teach our children and spread quality education. All these people have been living in Pakistan legally and have been contributing to our society through their educational services. We should treat them with the respect and honour that they deserve. 


It is a shameful way to thank those who have worked hard to teach our children and spread quality education. The Sharif government did not even consider the national interest when it went ahead and started the operation against the Pak-Turk Schools. Many of these Turkish nationals, earlier affiliated with the Pak-Turk Schools system, are staying in Pakistan under asylum-seeker certificates issued by the UNHCR. They have been given this facility because it is feared that if they return to their home country, their lives may be in danger. It is time that Pakistanis took notice of this high-handedness on the part of the government of forcing them to go back against their will. Whatever has to be done should be according to the rule of law and in a transparent manner. All these people have been living in Pakistan legally and have been contributing to our society through their educational services. We should treat them with the respect and honour that they deserve. 

Published in The Express Tribune, October 3rd, 2017.

Source: Express Tribune , October 3, 2017


Related News

Istanbul court re-arrests former Zaman reporter minutes before leaving prison

Ayşenur Parıldak, a former reporter from the now-closed Zaman daily, was released early on Tuesday but was re-arrested by the same court hours before leaving prison upon a prosecutor objected to the initial ruling.

Policeman, teacher wife and premature baby under arrest over Gülen links

Fatma Cetin, an Erzurum teacher who was earlier dismissed from public school as part of the post-coup crackdown against the Gülen movement, has been under arrest along with her premature baby, Sozcu columnist Emin Colasan revealed.

President Obama sends message to Gulen-inspired international cultural festival

US President Obama sends a message to Gulen-inspired “The International Festival of Language and Culture” that took place in Washington D.C. He said, “Festivals like this one allow us to bear witness to the ways hope and beauty stem from songs of inclusion.”

Gulen followers encourage education, awareness

In spite of the recent subversive attempts to have cleric Fethullah Gulen extradited to Turkey, members of the Alliance for Shared Values are encouraging education and awareness to combat the government’s tactics.

RTÜK fines Samanyolu for news about boy named after Gülen

The Radio and Television Supreme Council (RTÜK) fined Samanyolu TV on Sunday for running a news story about a student named Fethullah Gülen who prepared for the Transition to Higher Education Examination (YGS) with the Hizmet-affiliated Körfez University Preparation School in İzmir. RTÜK said broadcasting the name of a student along with the school’s name […]

Parents protest deportation of Pak-Turk School’s teachers, staff

Slamming the government’s decision of deporting Turkish teachers and staff from the country, parents said “Pak-Turk Schools were founded without any financial assistance of Turkey and Pakistani government but founded by the philanthropist donations of people of Pakistan and Turkey” adding that these schools were the property of Pakistani people.

Latest News

Fethullah Gülen’s Condolence Message for South African Human Rights Defender Archbishop Desmond Tutu

Hizmet Movement Declares Core Values with Unified Voice

Ankara systematically tortures supporters of Gülen movement, Kurds, Turkey Tribunal rapporteurs say

Erdogan possessed by Pharaoh, Herod, Hitler spirits?

Devious Use of International Organizations to Persecute Dissidents Abroad: The Erdogan Case

A “Controlled Coup”: Erdogan’s Contribution to the Autocrats’ Playbook

Why is Turkey’s Erdogan persecuting the Gulen movement?

Purge-victim man sent back to prison over Gulen links despite stage 4 cancer diagnosis

University refuses admission to woman jailed over Gülen links

In Case You Missed It

40 CSOs in US slam hate speech being used by gov’t officials

Fethullah Gulen Condemns the Assassination of Russian Ambassador to Turkey

Turkey’s Plans to Abolish Private Tutoring Centers Arrests Free Enterprise and Democracy

Gülen: The Ambiguous Politics of Market Islam in Turkey and the World

Education minister calls on African ambassadors to have Gülen-inspired schools closed

Fethullah Gülen’s message of condolence for veteran journalist Mehmet Ali Birand

Qur’anic Reciters of Nigeria Raise Alarm Over Turkey’s Espionage

Copyright 2023 Hizmet News