Tears and sadness as Turkish people pack up to leave Pakistan

Pakistani students of the Pak-Turk International school comfort their Turkish teacher in Lahore, Pakistan, Nov. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudhry)
Pakistani students of the Pak-Turk International school comfort their Turkish teacher in Lahore, Pakistan, Nov. 17, 2016. (AP Photo/K.M. Chaudhry)


Date posted: November 21, 2016

“I do not want to go to Turkey. My parents also don’t. Why they are sending us back when we don’t want to?”

All 24 students of grade-IV of Batool Fatima’s class were very sad today after knowing that she was leaving them for Turkey, after Pakistan government ordered over 100 Turkish teachers and their family members to leave the country by Sunday.

Shaking hand with her friends and teachers on the last day on campus Batool, 10, broke into tears which made everyone around depressed. “I do not want to go to Turkey. My parents also don’t. Why they are sending us back when we don’t want to?” she said.

The faculty, the local students and their parents were also downhearted because of the Pakistani government’s ‘sudden and unexpected decision’ to expel over 100 Turkish teachers and their family members (350) on the ‘request’ of the Turkish government.

Since the Pak-Turk schools and colleges has alleged links with the US-based cleric, Fethullah Gulen, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan blames for July’s coup attempt, the Pakistani government ordered 450 Turkish teachers and their family members to leave the country by November 20.

The Turkish teachers moved the Islamabad High Court against decision but found no respite as it asked them to approach the interior ministry and disposed of their petition. Batool was born in Lahore when her parents who are teaching at the Pak-Turk School in Lahore. She was fluent in Urdu which she has learned in the company of her Pakistani class-fellows.

“Madam can’t you do something to stop us from leaving this school and Pakistan.” Her plea brought tears in her teacher’s eyes who told her “I will try my best”.

“I know I can’t do anything to persuade the federal government to take back its decision of expelling the Turkish teachers and their families from the country,” a senior Pakistani teacher told PTI. “I must say last Friday was the saddest day in our campus in Lahore as all Turkish students were literally crying,” she said.

The Turkish students’ tear-rimmed eyes moved their local class-fellows and the faculty. They did not want to go back. A woman Turkish teacher questioned as how the Pakistani government could hand over a ‘marching order’ to more than 450 Turkish people without framing a charge-sheet.

“My husband and I moved here 11 years ago. My youngest son was born here one-and-a-half- year ago and never visited Turkey. Pakistan is his country. My other daughter and son are studying in A-Levels and Grade-V in Pak-Turk Schools in Lahore, respectively. We love Pakistan and people here love us too,” she said.

Source: The Indian Express , November 20, 2016


Related News

Erdogan in Africa: Gulen and trade ties

Erdogan wants the Gulen-linked schools in Africa to be closed down, yet they are the very educational establishments which are popular with Africa’s middle class. They are an inexpensive alternative to French schools. If parents send their children to Turkish schools, it is not because the schools are Turkish, but because they employ good teachers. Africa’s middle class want good schools.

Irmak TV starts broadcast

New television channel Irmak TV began broadcasting on Thursday night in a magnificent ceremony with blessings from senior Turkish officials, journalists and public figures. The TV channel, along with Today’s Zaman, is part of the Feza Media Group, and will mostly broadcast programs with moral, spiritual, cultural and religious content. Irmak, meaning “river” in Turkish, […]

Today’s Zaman offers condolences to families of mine victims

Today’s Zaman also calls on Turkish officials to do their utmost to regulate privately owned and operated mines to ensure the safety of all workers and miners. The tragic incident in the Soma mine once again reveals the need for a stronger inspection of mines including the safety conditions of workers in line with international standards.

Report: Gülen-linked media outlets sold to pro-gov’t media groups without tender

A number of TV and radio stations that were closed down by the government in the aftermath of a failed coup attempt on July 15 due to their links to the faith-based Gülen movement have been sold to the pro-government Turkuvaz Media Group without a tender.

In controversial move Parliament votes to shut down prep schools

The removal of prep schools, however, remains an unsettled dispute, with opponents to the bill saying that without eliminating standardized testing for university entrance, the move will only serve to hamper the poorer high school students’ plans to attend universities, as socioeconomic disparity shows itself in exam results.

Pregnant woman jailed over Gülen links sent back to prison after losing baby

Hanife Çiftçi, who was jailed in June when she was seven weeks pregnant due to her alleged links to the Gülen movement, lost her unborn baby and was sent back to prison from the hospital on the same day, the tr724 news website reported on Wednesday.

Latest News

Fethullah Gulen – man of education, peace and dialogue – passes away

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

In Case You Missed It

Suspicious raid against Hizmet-affiliated highschool famous for its success

The Hizmet movement, politics and the AKP

Albania deports Gülen follower at Turkey’s request despite court rejection of extradition

Turkey’s Internet watchdog blocks access to website broadcasting Gülen’s speeches

Kazakh-Turkish high schools win 16 medals in science competition

Why was Mr. Gulen’s name brought up in the coup attempt in Turkey?

How does PM Erdoğan hurt the liberal pious of Turkey?

Copyright 2025 Hizmet News