Higher Secondary School In Pakistan's Abbottabad City Under Fire For Allowing Israeli Flag At A United Nations Model Conference

In the Pakistani city of Abbottabad – where Al-Qaeda leader Osama bin Laden was killed by U.S. Navy SEALs in a night raid on May 1, 2011 – a higher secondary school has come under fire for allowing the Israeli flag to be put up alongside other nations' flags for a United Nations model conference. UN model conferences are held in schools and colleges across the world where students debate global issues and learn how the UN functions.

December 26, 2019: A picture from the school was posted on Facebook[1]

According to a report in the Urdu daily Roznama Ummat, a press statement was issued by the deputy commissioner of Abbottabad saying that the administration had not permitted the city-based Modern Public School and College to organize the "American model" conference.[2] The statement says: "It has been learnt from social media that the Israeli flag was also put up alongside the flags of other nations for the preparation of a function at the school" and "the police have been ordered to conduct an inquiry and submit a report."[3]

Asad Javed Khan, a local resident, also filed a police case, saying: "The organization known as Model United Nations... is misleading the youth in the name of the United Nations. In this connection, Israel's flag was also hoisted at a function alongside the flags of other nations... At this point, extreme sadness and anger is raging among the residents of Abbottabad. A case of treason should be registered against the organization and the organizers of the function."[4]

According to the report, the organizers issued a statement in which they argue: "Hoisting the Israeli flag was an error that must not have occurred... Some people are giving it a negative twist. They have their national and international objectives in it, while the program was only a positive program which was on the model of the United Nations."[5]

A picture of the Israeli flag at the school's preparatory event was posted on social media and attracted comments from Pakistani youth.[6] Sheikh Asad wrote "shame on the parents and faculty" for allowing this to happen; Inam Khan commented that these "shameless people should be punished"; Usama Ahmed blamed "this young f***g generation"; Samo Awan wrote: "This is terrible"; Syed Atif said: "We should raise voice against such acts"; Nouman Saeed Awan commented: "Still can't deny the fact that Israel is a member of UN."[7]