Tanzeemat Madaris wants gazette notification on Madrasah Bill

ISLAMABAD: The alliance of religious seminaries, Ittehad-e-Tanzeemat-Madaris Pakistan (ITMP), concluded its meeting with a strong call for immediate issuance of the official gazette notification for the “recently passed Madrasah Bill”.

The bill — passed by both house of parliament in October — was returned by President Zardari to the National Assembly speaker, citing several flaws, procedural errors, and contradiction with the existing laws.

Addressing a press conference after their meeting on Monday night, prominent religious leaders, including Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman and Maulana Fazlur Rehman, reiterated their stance, emphasizing legal and constitutional support for the legislation.

Mufti Muneeb-ur-Rehman clarified that the Madrasah Bill, after passing through Parliament, was sent to the President for approval.

“The National Assembly Speaker responded to the President’s first objection, and the President raised no further concerns within the 10-day window. Consequently, the second objection lapsed due to time constraints, and the bill is now law,” Mufti said while urging the government to immediately issue the bill’s official gazette notification.

He expressed confidence in the government’s role but warned of collective action if the law was not implemented.

“We expect justice and balance from the government. If our resolution is not respected, we will unanimously decide our next course of action,” he said.

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On the occasion, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) head Maulana Fazlur Rehman dismissed claims that the bill was controversial. “This bill was passed in line with the constitutional process, and the government had raised no objections during its deliberation and approval,” he said, adding, “We agreed to the draft presented by the government.”

Maulana Fazl also addressed rumours of political disputes. “There is no conflict with Asif Zardari; he is our brother. However, we question why objections have emerged now, and on what grounds?”

He also underscored the need for peace and stability in the country. “We have conveyed our message clearly. We don’t wish to escalate matters, but our stance is rooted in law and the Constitution. It’s now up to the government to resolve this issue amicably,” Maulana said.

He stressed that creating unnecessary discord would serve no one’s interests and called on the government to address their concerns with mutual respect and dialogue.