As differences persist between the government and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman over the registration of religious seminaries, the former has once again swung into action to win the support of the JUI-F chief for the madrassah registration bill as it has sent its fresh draft to him. New draft contained some changes to the bill. They disclosed that the party, in its reply, had told the government that it would discuss features of the draft with ulema at the Wifaqul Madaris meeting to be held on December 17. JUI-F lawyer Kamran Murtaza would brief the meeting on it, sources said, adding it would be after consultations with religious scholars that the party would give its reply to the government besides chalking out a strategy for the future.

On Monday, Maulana Fazl had said that the party wanted the registration of religious seminaries in the country, but the government was making the matter controversial. Addressing a press conference, Fazl said that the JUI-F did not want confrontation with the government, but only registration of the seminaries. He said that the JUI-F was fighting for the madrassahs. “And this war the party has waged is not for its own benefit,” he clarified.  He lamented that today the government by convening a meeting of a group of Ulema tried to create divisions between two groups of religious scholars. “The government is trying to lead the nation astray by pitting two groups of religious scholars against each other,” he alleged. 

Earlier, a conference of ulema, mashaikh and government ministers regarding reforms in madaris was held in Islamabad in which participants stressed that the issue of registration of seminaries should not be politicized. The important meeting on madrassah registration and reforms took place in Islamabad on Monday, bringing together prominent scholars and religious leaders from all schools of thought across Pakistan. Emphasizing that religious seminaries play an important role in the propagation of Islam, Pakistan Ulema Council (PUC) Chairman Hafiz Tahir Mehmood Ashrafi said on Monday that the registration of these seminaries should be foolproof.

Credit: Independent News Pakistan (INP)