Pakistan has requested clarification from the Indian government on a “public notice” published jointly by the University Grants Commission of India and the All India Council for Technical Education regarding pursuing higher education in Pakistan.
In a Friday notice, the Indian government warned that “any Indian national/Overseas Citizen of India who intends to take admission in any degree college/educational institution of Pakistan shall not be eligible for seeking employment or higher studies in India on the basis of such educational qualifications (in any subject) obtained in Pakistan.”
On Monday, the Foreign Office published a statement in reaction to India’s “openly discriminatory and illogical conduct” and said that Pakistan had the right to take necessary steps.
It is not only that the “‘public notice’ has an authoritarian ring to it, but it is also threatening to Indian students studying in Pakistan. For this reason, it is unfortunate that the Government of India is unapologetically coercing students in order to prevent them from pursuing the quality education of their choice,” the FO statement stated.
The public notice had exposed the BJP-RSS combine’s “deep-seated ideological animus and chronic animosity” toward Pakistan, it said. As part of its “Hindu Rashtra” aim, the Indian government has taken such measures to incite hyper-nationalism in the country.
According to Pakistan’s Foreign Office, the country reserves the right to respond to India’s move with necessary measures.
Works at The Truth International Magazine. My area of interest includes international relations, peace & conflict studies, qualitative & quantitative research in social sciences, and world politics. Reach@ aimen.bukhari@tti.org.pk
