Constitutional Bench hears case on making Holy Quran teaching mandatory

ISLAMABAD: On Wednesday, a five-member Constitutional Bench of the Supreme Court, headed by Justice Aminuddin Khan, heard the petition to make the teaching of the Holy Quran compulsory.

The federal government, and the provincial governments of Punjab and Balochistan have submitted their responses to the court in this regard. However, the Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments have sought more time to submit their responses.

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During the hearing, Justice Jamal Khan Mandokhail said, “According to the response, the federal government has started steps for the teaching of the Holy Quran,” adding, “Let the government do its job, why should the court interfere?”

To this, the petitioner Aniq Khatana responded, “If the governments were doing their job working, I would not have been roaming in the courts for five years.” He contended that according to the law, the translation that is agreed upon can be used for teaching, adding, “It is also mandatory for the federal government to approve the translation.”

“No province or federation has attached a notification,” Khatana said.

Justice Mandokhail said, “When a child is born [here], they are taught their mother tongue, then Urdu and then English. Now everyone is [hyped up over] the Chinese language, what else needs to be taught to the children?”

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Khatana said, “Article 31 of the Constitution is clear that the teaching of the Quran and Islamic studies are separate.”

After hearing the arguments, the Constitutional Bench sought answers from Sindh and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa governments on the issue. Afterwards, the bench adjourned the hearing indefinitely.