Fazl keeps pressing govt on madrassa bill

Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the chief of his eponymous faction of the JUI-F, has accused the state of driving Islamic seminaries towards radicalism and extremism, saying that his party seeks to safeguard the madrassas rather than challenging writ of the state.

"You are driving our seminaries towards radicalism and extremism, but we are responding with restraint," the cleric-politician said while addressing students at a madrassa in Pabbi, on the edge of Peshawar, on Saturday.

Expressing distrust in the state institutions, the Maulana, who has been advocating for the madrassa registration bill, stated that while the bureaucracy and the establishment may offer sympathetic words, "we have no trust in them."

"No matter how sweet their words may be, we will not trust them. They have destroyed the seminaries, and we will liberate them from their influence. We demand registration, but they don't cooperate. We ask to open our bank accounts and operate within the state system, but they refuse to facilitate us."

The JUI-F chief warned against two major threats to society - atheism and apostasy —and asserted that madrassas play a vital role in combating these challenges. "Islamic seminaries teach Hadith and provide guidance to the Muslim community," he added. "Currently, all madrassas are being forced into submission. I even oppose the division between religious and worldly education - knowledge is knowledge, whether it is religious or worldly."

Commenting on extremism, he said, "You are pushing my seminaries towards radicalism and extremism, but we remain patient. We are not producing terrorists; this is a war, and we are fighting for religious survival. You have declared war on us, and now we face each other."

"We are steadfast, and we know that until the Day of Judgment, we have to fight for Islam because we aim for paradise," he added.

Referring to the political dynamics, Fazl said, "Before the elections, the PDM government was formed. The PPP was part of it, and Shehbaz Sharif was the prime minister".

After extensive discussions, he recalled, it was agreed that seminaries would have the freedom to register with whomever they wished. We demonstrated responsibility at that time as well.

He said a draft was prepared under the 1860 Societies Act, with an added clause, adding that this draft was not prepared by us but by the government, and there was consensus on it.

"The bill sailed through the National Assembly but was blocked afterwards. We now seek legislation on this consensus draft as part of the 26th constitutional amendment, and we want it to become an act."

He further mentioned the PPP's role in negotiations, stating, "Even now, the PPP is in government. We held a month of negotiations during which I was engaged. After five hours of discussions, the bill was passed."

"The next day, five more hours of negotiations were held with Nawaz Sharif, and consensus was achieved. The bill was first presented in the Senate. The 26th amendment bill comprised 56 clauses, to which we added five points of our own."

He lamented that while the bill was passed, now objections are being raised by the presidency. "At a meeting in Lahore, both the president and Bilawal Bhutto were present. Raising objections now is inappropriate," he added.