Madrasah bill: PM speaks to Maulana after JUI-F threatens ‘Islamabad march’

ISLAMABAD: Following a warning of protest from the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) over the government’s failure to pass the Madrasah Registration Bill, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif reached out to JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman via telephone, assuring him to address his party’s concerns regarding the bill.

According to a statement issued by JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri on Friday, the two leaders discussed the matter during their telephonic conversation. Maulana expressed his reservations about the Madrasah bill, urging the government to avoid making the unanimously agreed bill controversial. He emphasized that the JUI-F remained steadfast in its stance to safeguard the independence and freedom of madaris (religious seminaries).

The spokesperson further said that the prime minister reassured JUI-F chief that the government would address all concerns regarding the bill.

Earlier, JUI-F had issued a deadline of December 8 for the federal government to approve the Madrasah Bill. JUI-F Secretary-General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri warned that if the bill was not passed by that date, they would head towards Islamabad for a protest.

On Thursday, President Asif Zardari returned the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024 to the prime minister office after raising legal objections. The act, which is is related to the registration of Madaris under an enactment to check their activities in appropriate manner, was passed by the National Assembly and the Senate in October.

Speaking to the media in Lahore on Friday, Haidri stressed that the government must pass the bill, warning that failure to do so would result in a march to Islamabad. He further clarified that JUI-F did not want to resort to such measures, as the country could not afford such a move.

He added that withholding the bill would be an act of ill-will, aimed at provoking religious groups and forcing them to march towards the capital.

JUI-F leaders also mentioned that they had received assurances from Pakistan People’s Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, who promised to speak to his father, Asif Ali Zardari, to ensure the bill’s passage.

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They, however, made it clear that if the bill was not signed by December 8, they would proceed with their planned march.

The bill has caused significant friction, with JUI-F and other religious organizations pushing for its passage, making it a contentious issue between the government and religious groups.

In addition to these developments, JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah Khan condemned President’s rejection of the bill, calling it a “declaration of war.” He accused the President of undermining democracy and the Constitution. He also questioned whether the rejection was part of a larger political strategy to create obstacles for the ruling government.

Sources close to the JUI-F leadership have suggested that President’s decision not to sign the bill could lead to further political unrest. Maulana Fazlur Rehman had reportedly expressed his dissatisfaction with the President’s refusal, prompting several political meetings, including one between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif’s political advisor, Rana Sanaullah, and the JUI-F leadership.

Earlier, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto Zardari had also met with Maulana Fazlur Rehman to discuss the madrasah registration bill. Bilawal provided a briefing on the matter, and the two leaders discussed the issue in detail during a two-hour meeting. Following the meeting, Bilawal contacted senior government officials and suggested convening a joint session of Parliament to address the bill and other pending legislation.

JUI-F sources maintained that legally, the bill had already passed and was now an act, with the government only required to issue a gazette notification to finalize the process.