Fazl vows to take madrassa bill issue to the streets

islamabad
Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) supremo Maulana Fazlur Rehman has firmly stated that the Madrassa Registration Bill has already become an act and his party will not accept any amendments to it.
Addressing the National Assembly session on Tuesday, the JUI-F chief said that if the bill is presented again without being recognised as an Act, it would be a violation of the constitution, Express News reported.
“The madrassa bill has already passed and become an act after the objections, raised by the president, were addressed and NA speaker made the necessary corrections. The bill has become law, though there is still an issue regarding the Gazette notification,” Fazlur Rehman said during his speech.
Referring to a legal precedent set by former President Arif Alvi, who did not sign a bill, Maulana Fazlur Rehman explained that under such circumstances, the bill automatically becomes an act after 10 days. “The president no longer has the power to stop the bill once the 10-day period has passed,” he added.
The JUI-F leader also criticised the government for what he sees as hindrances in the registration of religious schools (madrassas), claiming that the true issue lies in the government’s disregard for the rights and privileges of parliament.
“For the last 24 years, madrassas have operated in accordance with the law and the constitution. We have never opposed modern education,” he remarked. He further dismissed the idea of dividing seminaries into “religious” and “modern” categories, stating that students from madrasahs have excelled in national exams.
The JUI-F leader accused the bureaucracy and establishment of undermining the credibility of religious education. “Attempts to interfere with our curriculum will not be tolerated. Whether we register or not, our institutions will continue to operate,” he declared.
“If our stance is ignored, we will resolve the matter outside the parliament,” Fazl warned.