JUI-F Leader Rejects Amendments to Madrassa Registration Bill
Maulana Fazlur Rehman, leader of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), has firmly opposed any amendments to the Madrassa Registration Bill, stating that it has already been enacted into law.
Addressing the National Assembly on Tuesday, Fazlur Rehman emphasized that revisiting the bill without recognizing it as an act would constitute a constitutional violation, according to Express News.
“The madrassa bill became law after addressing the president’s objections, and the National Assembly speaker made the required corrections. Although there are issues regarding the Gazette notification, the bill is now an act,” he stated.
He referenced a legal precedent set during former President Arif Alvi’s tenure, explaining that if a bill is not signed by the president, it automatically becomes an act after 10 days. “Once this period passes, the president loses authority to block the bill,” Fazlur Rehman clarified.
The JUI-F chief criticized the government for delays in the registration of madrassas, accusing it of disregarding parliamentary authority. He asserted that religious schools have always operated within the constitutional framework.
“For over two decades, madrassas have adhered to the law. We have never opposed modern education,” he said, rejecting the classification of seminaries into “modern” and “religious” categories. He also highlighted that madrassa students have performed exceptionally well in national examinations.
Rehman further accused the bureaucracy and establishment of undermining religious education by attempting to interfere with madrassa curricula. “We will not tolerate meddling in our educational system. Our institutions will continue to operate, whether registered or not,” he declared.
Warning against ignoring his party’s position, Fazl stated, “If our concerns are disregarded, we will take this matter outside parliament.”
Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar clarified in the National Assembly that no legislation is complete without the president’s signature.
He acknowledged the respect he holds for Maulana Fazlur Rehman and JUI-F leaders, pointing out that Pakistan’s founding leaders collectively approved the 1973 Constitution.
Tarar explained that under Article 75 of the Constitution, the president must either approve a bill within 10 days or return it to the Majlis-e-Shura with objections. He added that while the 26th Amendment and the bill were passed by both houses of parliament, the president had returned the madrassa bill with eight objections, leaving it in a state of limbo.
The federal government, he assured, remains committed to supporting provincial governments in maintaining law and order.
On Monday, the Ittehad-e-Tanzeemat-e-Madaris, a coalition of religious educational boards, demanded the immediate issuance of the Gazette notification for the Madrassa Registration Bill.
Following a meeting in Islamabad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman, joined by Mufti Taqi Usmani and Mufti Munib-ur-Rehman, addressed a press conference. They reiterated that the bill was not controversial, as it had already been approved by Parliament.
