Madrassah registration bill 2024: PM has assured Fazl that he will address party’s reservations: spokesperson

ISLAMABAD: The Prime Minister (PM) of Pakistan has assured the leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI) Maulana Fazalur Rehman of addressing all his reservations on Madrasah registration bill 2024, Aslam Ghauri, the JUI spokesperson said.

The JUI spokesman said that the PM Shehbaz Sharif on Friday in a telephonic conversation with the JUI chief said that the government will amicably address all the pertaining issues. Yesterday, Senator Faisal Vawda and PM’s Advisor on Political Affairs Rana Sanaullah called on the JUI chief to discuss the political matters and assured maulana of government’s every possible support.

The JUI has expressed serious anger over the delay in signing of the madrasah registration bill by the president and threaten to march on the federal capital in case the president did not sign the legislation into a law as promised by the government while passing the 26th constitutional amendment.

“We want to register madrasahs, but the government does not want to do so,” Ghauri said.

The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is legislation stemming from an agreement between the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (Fazl) and the government in support of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. It extends the provisions of the Societies Registration Act of 1860 and introduces regulations for the registration of “Deeni Madaris” through the relevant deputy commissioner’s office.

Under the new bill, seminaries with multiple campuses would require only a single registration. Each institution is mandated to provide an annual report detailing its educational activities to the registrar. Furthermore, every madrasah is required to have its financial accounts audited and to submit the audit report to the registrar as well. The bill also prohibits seminaries from teaching or disseminating materials that endorse militancy, sectarianism, or religious hatred.

The religio-political party readied the madrasah registration bill in the 16-month tenure of the PDM; he said and added that the bill was stopped on its second vote in Parliament. Ghauri added that his party also discussed it with the PPP at the Bilawal House in Karachi.

Meanwhile, Secretary General JUI Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, while talking to media has asked the government to pass the Madrasah Registration Bill before December 8, 2024; otherwise, JUI would be forced to march towards Islamabad. “We are religious people and do not wish to take such a step, but the country cannot bear this delay,” Haidri said.

The JUI-F leader also accused the delay in passing the bill of being a deliberate attempt to obstruct the process, labeling it as “malicious intent.” Haidri assured that there would be a resolution to the issue, as Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had assured him that he would speak with the president to ensure the bill’s approval.

Responding to a question regarding the potential change in the PM House, Haidri stated that they did not acknowledge the current elections and questioned how the government could take a U-turn after such a shift. He clarified that the bill is not just supported by JUI-F and Wafaqul Madaris, but is endorsed by all religious seminary organisations.

Earlier, it was reported that President Asif Ali Zardari has returned the Madrasah Registration Bill to the Prime Minister’s Office, citing legal objections. The bill, which focuses on regulating and registering religious schools (madrasahs), has faced significant obstacles in the review process.

Sources reveal that the president raised concerns over the bill’s legal validity, particularly, its lack of clarity regarding the jurisdiction of madrasah registration. The bill had been pushed through by the government, following assurances made to Maulana Fazlur Rehman, a key ally.

Copyright Business Recorder, 2024