The long-standing issue of religious seminary registration has been resolved through dialogue and mutual understanding, culminating in presidential approval.
President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act 2024 on December 27, following the advice of Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif. The National Assembly Speaker, Sardar Ayaz Sadiq, issued the official Gazette notification on December 29, making the ordinance enforceable.
The amendment act introduced significant changes to Sections 5, 6, and 7 of the Societies Registration Act, ensuring that religious seminaries are now allowed to register with both the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Industry and Production.
Earlier, the amendment bill was passed under the 26th Constitutional Amendment as part of a deal with Jamaat-e-Ulema Islam-Fazl (JUI-F). However, the bill was initially returned with objections from the presidency, prompting a strong response from JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, who issued an ultimatum for a march to Islamabad.
Subsequent meetings between PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, PML-N leaders, and Maulana Fazlur Rehman helped address these concerns. Maulana Fazlur Rehman later met Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, leading to a resolution of the dispute.
Key Provisions of the Societies Registration Act 2024:
- Existing seminaries must register within six months.
- New seminaries must register within a year of establishment.
- Seminaries with multiple campuses require only one registration.
- Annual activity and financial audit reports must be submitted to the registrar.
- Seminaries are prohibited from promoting extremist or sectarian content.
JUI-F’s Response:
The JUI-F celebrated the notification of the new Act as a victory for religious institutions and their autonomy. JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri expressed gratitude for the resolution, highlighting the importance of seminaries in safeguarding Pakistan’s ideological integrity.
Maulana Fazlur Rehman congratulated all religious groups and leaders of seminaries, extending special thanks to Mufti Taqi Usmani for his guidance and Kamran Murtaza for legal support. He described the passage of the bill as a triumph of parliamentary democracy.
