On Friday, the federal cabinet approved amendments to the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024, which focuses on the registration of madrassas in Pakistan. The cabinet’s approval followed recommendations from the law ministry and changes to the Societies Registration Act of 1860.
This move comes after the resolution of disagreements between the government and the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) regarding the bill. The amendments aim to simplify the registration process for religious seminaries (madrassas) nationwide, addressing concerns raised by religious parties, particularly JUI-F.
Two days earlier, JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza confirmed that all disputes over the madrassa registration bill had been resolved. He added that a gazette notification for the bill would likely be issued soon, finalizing the legal framework.
Murtaza and Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar announced that the draft legislation had been completed and would be enacted shortly. This breakthrough followed discussions between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JUI-F leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman, where the government reportedly agreed to meet the demands of the Ittehad-e-Tanzeemat-e-Madaris, a coalition of madrassas.
The approval of the amendments represents a crucial step in the government’s efforts to regulate madrassas while addressing religious parties’ concerns over oversight and autonomy.
