Secretary Ministry of Religious Affairs Wakil Ahmed Khan Friday said that government had no political agenda or intention to interfere in the working of Madrassahs through registration. Speaking at a PTV programme, he said it was rather under the demand by the organisations of Madrassahs that the government had taken this step.
He said the Madrassahs were also being registered in the past under Societies Act. In 1994 the then government suspended the process of registration for unknown reasons.
Wakil said the Societies Act bearing 20 clauses was a law of an overall registration of societies adding there was no mention of focused registration of Madrassahs in this law.
He said a new clause had been added in this Act concerning registration and definition of Madrassahs.
To a question he said the registration of Madrassahs was a provincial subject and Ministry of Religious Affairs and the Central government were playing a co-ordination role.
All the provincial governments had issued ordinance in this connection. Ministry of Religious Affairs had evolved a form to facilitate the registration authorities in all the provinces, he said.
He said after registration by December 31, the government would have complete data about the madrassahs.
He said. "Once the process is completed, the government may assist the deserving Madrassahs in their restructuring efforts," he said.