Madrasah Bill: No Basis for President’s Objection, Progress on Maulana’s Proposals

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a meeting with Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the leader of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), to discuss the Madrasah Registration Bill. Maulana Fazlur Rehman informed the media after the meeting that the Prime Minister had invited him to discuss the bill, which had been approved by both houses of Parliament.

Rehman stated that the Prime Minister acknowledged the concerns raised by the united body of religious schools, and expressed that the government would make a final decision regarding the matter. He also confirmed that he had informed the head of the Ittehad Tanzeemat Madaris Diniya, Mufti Taqi Usmani, about the discussion and received his consent to engage on the topic.

The meeting included members from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz (PML-N), Pakistan People’s Party (PPP), and other key officials, such as Speaker of the National Assembly and the Attorney General. Maulana Fazlur Rehman explained that they had clarified that the bill had already become an Act and any objections raised by the President were addressed by the Speaker in line with the Constitution. He mentioned that the President’s second objection, sent after the constitutional deadline, was invalid, and no further objections had been raised by the President since then.

Rehman shared that the Prime Minister had directed the Ministry of Law to take immediate action in accordance with the law and constitution. He expressed optimism that the government’s response would be positive and in line with their demands, and that this matter would be resolved without the need for a joint session of Parliament.

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Sources confirmed that the meeting was attended by JUI-F Senators Kamran Murtaza and Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidari, while the government delegation included Finance Minister Ishaq Dar, Law Minister Nazir Tarar, Information Minister Ata Tarar, and Interior Minister Rana Sanaullah.

Previously, on December 16, the Ittehad Tanzeemat Madaris Diniya had called for the immediate issuance of the Gazette notification for the Madrasah Registration Act, emphasizing that the bill had become law and should be implemented without delay. This follows a series of interactions between government officials and religious leaders, including President Arif Alvi’s objections to the bill, which were ultimately deemed unconstitutional after the time limit expired.

The Madrasah Registration Bill, introduced in October 2024, requires all religious schools to register under the amended Societies Registration Act of 2024. The bill also mandates various regulatory measures, such as annual reports on educational activities and audits of financial accounts, to ensure that religious institutions comply with modern educational standards and avoid promoting extremism.