PM Shehbaz assures Maulana Fazlur Rehman to engage CMs over seminary bill

ISLAMABAD: Prime Minister (PM) Shehbaz Sharif on Friday assured Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman to engage all chief ministers (CMs) on amendments pertaining to the registration of seminaries on the provincial level, ARY News reported.

According to details, Maulana Fazlur Rehman has phoned and reached out to PM Shehbaz, urging him to play his role concerning the amendment of the seminary registration bill at the provincial level.

During the telephone conversation, Maulana Fazlur Rehman asked the prime minister to involve the provincial chief ministers in regard to the amendment. PM Shehbaz assured Maulana Fazlur Rehman that he would take the initiative in this matter.

Earlier on December 29, President Asif Ali Zardari signed the Seminary Registration Act into law.

According to a National Assembly spokesperson, the Societies Registration Act 2024, makes it a law. The step comes as part of the government’s ongoing efforts to regulate and formalize the registration of various entities, including seminaries (Madrasahs).

According to a National Assembly spokesperson, with President Zardari’s signature, the bill has been successfully converted into law. The National Assembly is expected to issue the gazette notification soon.

Under the new law, religious seminaries (Madrasahs) will now be required to register under the Societies Registration Act, streamlining the regulatory framework for such institutions.

The key points of the Societies Registration Act 2024 revealed that seminaries that were established before the implementation of the amendment must complete their registration within six months. Seminaries that were established after the bill’s enactment will have one year to complete their registration process.

The Societies Registration Act 2024 also states that seminaries with more than one campus will only need to complete a single registration for all their campuses.

Additionally, every religious seminary will be required to submit an annual report of its activities to the Registrar. The report will include the seminary’s audited financial accounts.

Furthermore, the bill prohibits any seminary from publishing or teaching content that promotes extremism or religious hatred.