Govt to support modern education at seminaries: PM

5 million students study at madressahs free of charge

ISLAMABAD:

Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif on Wednesday said that the government would extend “maximum support” to the seminaries to help them impart education in accordance with modern-day needs.

The prime minister, in a meeting with a delegation of Ittehad-e-Tanzeemat-e-Madaris, also assured of providing administrative autonomy to the seminaries and easing their registration process.

Lauding the services of the seminaries for religious education, PM Shehbaz said that around five million students were studying there free of charge.

He said half of the students enrolled in seminaries were girls and thousands of them were orphans, adding that the students were getting books and education at the seminaries free of cost.

Calling the seminaries Islamic or Pakistani NGOs, the premier maintained that the government desired to extend its support to them in their social services.

He also expressed condolence over the death of renowned religious scholar Mufti Rafi Usmani and said that not only Pakistan, but the whole Muslim world recognised his services to the religion.

The meeting was attended by President of JUI-F Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maulana Mufti Taqi Usmani, Maulana Muhamamd Hanif Jalandhri, Mufti Munibur Rehman, Sahibzada Abdul Mustafa Hazarvi, Senator Professor Sajid Mir, Maulana Abdul Malik, Maulana Afzal Haidri, Maulana Abdul Kabir Azad and Maulana Fazal Rahim.

Federal ministers Rana Tanvir Hussain, Marriyum Aurangzeb, Rana Sanaullah Khan, Mufti Abdul Shakoor, SAPM Syed Fahad Hussain and senior officers were also present.