Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has warned that it will take “any length” of action if the government fails to pass the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, aimed at registering madressahs, according to party senator Kamran Murtaza.
“We are waiting for December 17, when Maulana Taqi Usmani has called a meeting in Islamabad,” Murtaza said during an appearance on a news Chanel show.
The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is a part of the agreement between JUI-F and the government in support of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. The bill amends the Societies Registration Act of 1860, establishing a framework for the registration of madressahs through local deputy commissioners.
Under the new bill, seminaries with multiple campuses will only require a single registration. Additionally, each institution must submit an annual report detailing its educational activities to the registrar, and all madressahs will be required to have their financial accounts audited. The bill also bans the teaching of materials promoting militancy, sectarianism, or religious hatred in madressahs.
Murtaza emphasized, “We will decide on the government proposal after the meeting. If the government accepts the proposal, then Maulana Fazl and other members will examine it. If not, then we will take a political decision. We can go to any lengths if the government does not agree.”
He further explained that the 26th Constitutional Amendment includes two other components: the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill and Waqf Imlak in Islamabad. These were government bills approved by the cabinet and supported by members of the ruling coalition.
Responding to President Asif Ali Zardari’s objections to the bill, Murtaza clarified that the objections were minor, such as punctuation issues, which had been resolved.
PML-N leader Qamarul Islam, who also appeared on the show, noted that societies are generally registered under the Ministry of Industries, not the Ministry of Education. He argued that educational institutions, including madressahs, should be registered under the Education Department. He emphasized that madressahs are educational institutions and should follow the same registration protocols.
