UCA News
Contribute

Pakistan university suspends staff over Israel stall at mock UN debate

Right-wing groups smash contents of students' 'Israel' display
Pakistan university suspends staff over Israel stall at mock UN debate

(Source: Shutterstock)

Published: October 28, 2014 08:01 AM GMT
Updated: October 27, 2014 09:02 PM GMT

A Pakistani university has suspended three staff after students created a stall to showcase Israeli customs and traditions as part of a mock UN debating contest, officials said Monday.

Students at the International Islamic University, Islamabad (IIUI) set up the stall, which featured Israeli flags and pictures of Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu, as part of their "model UN" exercise at the weekend.

The display, which also included a banner saying "Welcome to the land of peace and prosperity", triggered a furious response from right-wing student groups who smashed its contents.

Pakistan and Israel have no diplomatic relations and the Jewish state is widely disliked in the conservative Islamic republic.

The university said the dean of the faculty of management sciences, a student affairs adviser and a female lecturer had all been suspended over the incident.

An IIUI spokesman said the university "strongly condemns" the hosting of the Israel stall and stressed that "a number of resolutions were passed against the Israeli brutalities in Palestine" at the mock UN event.

A female student said the stalls were intended to showcase the religion and culture of various countries alongside a mock UN debate about the situation in Middle East.

"Students were coming to our (Israeli) stall, they were talking to us, discussing the cultural things that were on display," the student said on condition of anonymity.

"Everything was normal until students of the female wing of IJT came to our stall and accused us of supporting Zionism."

IJT — Islami Jamiat-e-Talaba — is a conservative student organization allied to Jamaat-e-Islami, one of Pakistan's leading religious political parties.

"They attacked the Israel stall and smashed everything, everybody was running out of the hall, it was so scary," the student said.

The university administration immediately cancelled the event and formed a three-member committee to investigate the incident. AFP

Help UCA News to be independent
Dear reader,
Lent is the season during which catechumens make their final preparations to be welcomed into the Church.
Each year during Lent, UCA News presents the stories of people who will join the Church in proclaiming that Jesus Christ is their Lord. The stories of how women and men who will be baptized came to believe in Christ are inspirations for all of us as we prepare to celebrate the Church's chief feast.
Help us with your donations to bring such stories of faith that make a difference in the Church and society.
A small contribution of US$5 will support us continue our mission…
William J. Grimm
Publisher
UCA News
Asian Bishops
Latest News
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia
UCA News Catholic Dioceses in Asia