Intelligence report: Punjab seminaries fanning radicalism identified
An intelligence agency report also forwarded by the Punjab Home Department has revealed that certain religious seminaries in Punjab were actively involved in fanning radicalism, adding that there had been a visible increase in the activities of the institutions in the last six weeks, The Express Tribune learnt on Tuesday.
The report entitled ‘Madrassahs (seminaries) fanning radicalism’ was forwarded by the Punjab Home Department to the Inspector General of Police Punjab and other senior police officers, including divisional commissioners, highlighted the dire need to regulate mainstream madrassas to ensure protection of civil society from radicalisation and sectarian polarisation. The seminaries included in the report were Madarassa Usman-o-Ali in Bahawalpur, Al-Noor Markaz Muridkey Goraya in Sialkot, Madrassa Daral uloom Khatijatul Qubra Lil Banat (Deoband) in Multan.
The report also suggested measures that could be taken to regulate the madrassas involved in fanning extremism in the province. The students and teachers belonging to these seminaries may be entered into a database maintained by Law Enforcement Agencies (LEAs) and kept under surveillance, the report proposed, adding that the authorities concerned would be forwarded the names of seminaries that were undoubtedly involved in promoting radicalism to shut them down.
The report suggested that the standard operating procedure (SOP) pertaining to the registration of madrassas may be improved and strictly followed, adding that unregistered seminaries may be shut down immediately. Technical representatives of LEAs may be allowed to inspect the construction of certain madrassas to assess their present and future usages, the report added.
The report suggested that the matter be discussed in the meeting of the divisional intelligence committee to implement the appropriate mechanics to restrict the banned organisations from breaching the Anti-Terrorism Act of 1997.
Another intelligence report revealed that 3,270 students from tribal areas were enlisted at 209 seminaries in the Punjab.
Published in The Express Tribune, August 3rd, 2011.
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@1stResponder: I don't recall the Vatican being classed as threat or any of its actions being Indoctrination of hatred towards any non christian!! I also don't recall the Akhardham temple either preaching messages of hate, yet in 2002, it fell victim to Jihadi terror attacks with loss of dozens of lives and untold injuries too !!! So now can you please enlighten me as to which religious institutions are responsible for generating hatred, as you have stated ???
how is it that religious institutions all over the world [with the possible exception of buddhism?] have come to be institutions that generate hate and the threat of violence? i believe in respecting all religions [or no religion], but religions now seem to be the greatest threat to world peace. i guess it has always been this way. DEMAND PEACE and SANITY whatever your religion
Many seminaries has been operating in Punjab for more than two decades, the circular is nothing more than a deceptive move. Punjab Government pays 85 millions as annual donation to lashkar e tayyaba, a banned organisation, operating with a changed name of jamaatud -dawah; The fact has been admitted Punjab law minister, Rana Sanaullah on T V. These outfits are strategic asset for PML ( N ).
Radicalization has been part of our internal and external policy and I strongly believe it can be controlled if our government (civil and military) wants to do so. All they have to do is regularize with accountability and access to their income and expenditure. Just check their sources of income and how it is spent. Any seminary unregistered and without accountability could be closed with assets confiscated that can be accomplished with the help of our military as there may be armed opposition in the beginning.
a comprehensive strategy is needed to deal with the issue....also we have to work on educational system to align these seminaries with rest of the national institutions...
So why is this an news item now, they have been at it for past two decades!! Bit late to open the eyes now on them!!!
Bulldoze all sectarian madaris, force the Saudis and sheikhs from UAE not to finance mullahs in these madaris, put all the mullahs who preach hatred and violence behind bars and completely ban jihadi and sectarian organizations.
Do we need an intelligence report to tell us what we already know. The tough part is how to shut down these hate inciting seminaries for good.
Ohh really?
I thought there were no radicals in Punjab and when India or USA said so, we protested loudly as a ploy to expand "Their" war in our peaceful and prosporous Punjab!
I wonder what more evidence do Pakistanis need of this country's involvement in every shameful act than the formal protest by China that terrorists to their country came from Pakistan.
An open “secret” has come to the surface. Madrassahs with the help of ISI/Army have been brainwashing its own people. This has led to an almost destruction of Pakistan.
our society's sick obsession with religion has led us to the edge of disaster.we pay full attention and emphasis on performance of repititive religious rituals while utmost emphasis is put on keeping our minds closed when it comes to matters of religion.rattafying religious text in a foreign language doesn't make you better than anyone else,nor does performing rituals repeatedly make you better than the rest of society.
the madrassas which really are nothing but the breeding grounds for future terrorists should be strictly regulated by the govt. these madrassas turn out millions of hatefilled homophic,misogynistic cavemen every year and then these people go out and spread their regressive ideology in the rest of society. madrassas need to be carefully watched and the ones promoting hate and violence of any sort should be closed down immediately.
But wouldn't this mean that Musharraf Government was right yet again on another issue? And this report came from Lahore.