Islamabad [Pakistan], December 17 : Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) leader Maulana Fazlur Rehman has vowed to take the issue of the Madrassa Registration Bill to the streets, criticizing the delay in its official recognition, The Express Tribune reported.
Although the bill has been passed by both houses of parliament, it remains in limbo after President Arif Alvi raised objections, halting its formal passage.
Speaking during a National Assembly session on Tuesday, Fazl emphasised that the bill, having addressed the president's objections, had already become an act. He stressed that any attempt to reintroduce the bill without recognising its status as an act would be unconstitutional.
"The madrassa bill has already passed and become an act after the objections, raised by the president, were addressed and the NA speaker made the necessary corrections. The bill has become law, though there is still an issue regarding the Gazette notification," said Fazl, firmly stating his position.
Fazl referred to a legal precedent set by former President Arif Alvi, who did not sign a bill but allowed it to automatically become law after 10 days. He pointed out that once the 10-day period expired, the president lost the power to prevent the bill's passage. "The president no longer has the power to stop the bill once the 10-day period has passed," Fazl added, asserting the bill's current status.
The JUI-F chief also critiqued the government for obstructing the registration of madrassas, accusing it of undermining the constitutional rights of religious institutions. "For the last 24 years, madrassas have operated in accordance with the law and the constitution. We have never opposed modern education," he said.
Fazl dismissed the notion of categorising seminaries as "religious" versus "modern" institutions, emphasising that madrassa students have excelled in national exams, reflecting the quality of their education, reported The Express Tribune.
Fazl also accused the bureaucracy and the establishment of undermining the credibility of religious education. "Attempts to interfere with our curriculum will not be tolerated," he warned, reinforcing his position that madrassas would continue operating regardless of registration. "Whether we register or not, our institutions will continue to operate," Fazl declared.
Responding to Fazl's remarks, Federal Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar emphasised the importance of the president's signature for the completion of any legislation. He clarified that no bill could be considered fully passed without the president's approval, as stated in Article 75 of the Constitution. "No legislation is complete without the President's signature," Tarar remarked, stressing that the president had ten days to either approve or send back the bill for reconsideration.
While the madrassa bill remains in limbo, the Ittehad-e-Tanzeemat-e-Madaris, a key alliance of religious schools, has demanded the immediate issuance of a Gazette notification to finalise the bill, The Express Tribune reported.
The group maintains that the bill, having already been passed by parliament, should not face further delays. After a meeting in Islamabad, Rehman, along with notable religious scholars, called for the swift recognition of the bill, which he argued was not controversial and had already received parliamentary approval.
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