Bilawal backs Fazl on madrassa legislation

ISLAMABAD:

Pakistan People's Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has assured Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman of his party's full support for the madrassa registration bill, pledging that the president will sign it soon.

The assurance came during a meeting at the JUI-F chief's residence in Islamabad on Wednesday, where Bilawal, accompanied by a PPP delegation, sought to address the JUI-F chief's concerns over the bill.

The meeting was attended by leaders from both parties, including JUI-F's Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Senator Kamran Murtaza, Haji Ghulam Ali, Maulana Lutfur Rahman and Maulana Asad Mehmood. PPP's Raja Pervaiz Ashraf and Qamar Zaman Kaira also participated.

The leaders discussed pressing political issues, with Fazl specifically raising concerns over delays in the president's approval of the bill, which has already been passed by both the Senate and the National Assembly.

After a one-hour meeting, Bilawal and his delegation left without speaking to the media. However, JUI-F Senator Kamran Murtaza and PPP leader Raja Pervaiz Ashraf addressed reporters outside.

Senator Kamran Murtaza highlighted the urgency of the matter, stating, "The president is not a representative of any political party; he is the president of the state. Bilawal Bhutto has always supported us on the madrassa registration issue and continues to do so".

JUI-F Secretary-General Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haideri echoed similar sentiments, confirming Bilawal's assurance that the president would sign the bill.

"The madrassa registration bill has already been passed by both houses of parliament. The delay is only at the president's desk," he said.

Prior to the meeting, Bilawal and Fazlur Rehman had discussed the matter over a phone call. Both leaders agreed to focus on the madrassa registration issue, which has been a point of contention due to its potential impact on religious seminaries across the country.

Express News has learnt that President Asif Ali Zardari has returned the madrassa registration bill to the Prime Minister's Office, citing legal objections. The bill can now only be passed into law through approval in a joint session of parliament.

Though PPP Chairperson Bilawal Bhutto Zardari on Wednesday assured JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that the president would sign the bill, credible legal sources told Express News that the president had already outlined his objections and sent the bill back to the Prime Minister's Office.

In view of these objections, the prime minister cannot give any input on the bill.

The legal sources explained that the president's objections are based on the constitutional division of powers between the federal and provincial governments.

The objections argue that madrassa registration falls under the purview of provincial education ministries, making it a provincial matter on which the federal government cannot legislate.

Furthermore, two laws already govern madrassa registration in Islamabad, and the bill does not clarify whether it would override them.

To address these legal challenges, the bill must secure approval from all four provincial assemblies.