- The JUI-F increases pressure on the government following the delay of the Madaris bill.
- Spox says the government is pressuring the party to put up resistance.
- Claims Bill Delayed to “Appease” International Powers.
Amid growing tensions over the controversial madrassa registration bill, the Punjab chapter of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) has urged its supporters to prepare for protests against the government, accusing the Center to renege on its promises regarding the 26th Amendment.
“We believe in reconciliation, but the government is pushing us to put up resistance,” said a JUI-F Punjab spokesperson.
The politico-religious party’s statement comes hours after President Asif Ali Zardari expressed concerns that if the madrassa bill becomes law, the seminaries will be registered under the Companies Act , which could lead to the imposition of the Financial Action Task Force (FATF). , Generalized Scheme of Preferences Plus (GSP+) and other sanctions against the country.
Earlier in the day, the spokesperson of the Maulana Fazlur Rehman-led party claimed that the legislation was being deliberately delayed to appease “international powers”.
Addressing an event at Madrassa Jamia Usmania in Nowshera of KP on December 7, the party leader set December 8 as the deadline for the government to approve the seminary registration bill.
However, hours before the deadline expired, Fazl reversed his decision and extended the deadline to December 17 in a bid to increase pressure on the government.
The controversial madrassa bill, which has already been passed by both houses of parliament, has become a bone of contention between the political-religious party and the government. Its enactment was part of an agreement between the two sides to support the 26th Amendment, Fazl said.
Earlier this month, President Zardari returned the ‘Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024’, while sources said on December 13 that the President had raised eight objections to the bill in under which madrassas would be registered.
Among other objections, he highlighted a potential conflict of interest arising from the registration process and expressed concerns about potential negative consequences for Pakistan’s international standing and internal stability.
According to the objections raised by the President, registration of religious seminaries under the law would lead to the spread of sectarianism and the establishment of many seminaries in a single society would lead to deterioration of law and order.
The invoice
The much-discussed legislation is an amended version of the Societies Registration Act, 1860, which emphasized the registration of existing madrassas (Islamic seminaries) “within six months” of its enactment.
He also said that a Deeni Madrassa established after the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024 comes into force, will have to get registered “within one year of its establishment”.
A seminary with more than one campus will only need one registration, it is specified.
Thereafter, each madrassa would be required to submit its annual report on its educational activities and audit report to a registrar.
Under the Act, a Deeni Madrassa was defined as a religious institution established or operated primarily for imparting religious education, which provides boarding and accommodation services.