2019 accord between PTI govt, Ittehad Tanzeemat-e-Madaris unveiled

Over 18,000 religious schools have registered under the agreement, says former minister.

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A 2019 agreement between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government and the Ittehad Tanzeemat Madaris (ITM), a coalition of religious school associations, has been revealed.

The deal, signed under PTI’s rule, aimed to bring religious schools (madrasas) under the Ministry of Education, Express News reported.

The agreement, which was signed by Federal Minister Shafqat Mehmood, mandated that all religious schools register with the Ministry of Education.

The ministry was recognised as the sole authority to collect data on madrasas.

The agreement also stipulated that any madrasa failing to register would face closure, and those violating the established rules would have their registration cancelled.

Religious schools were further required to open bank accounts, and foreign students were granted permission to enrol. A uniform curriculum was also introduced.

Shafqat Mehmood, in an interview with Express News, confirmed that religious school leaders had specifically requested that their institutions be governed by the Ministry of Education, rather than the Ministry of Interior.

He also pointed out that the deal included financial assistance for madrasas and aimed at educational reforms.

To date, over 18,000 religious schools have registered under this agreement. Mehmood described the deal as a significant milestone, adding that undoing it would be difficult at this point.

Morover, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has issued a December 8 deadline for the government to approve the madrassa registration bill.

The move follows delays after President Asif Ali Zardari returned the bill to the Prime Minister’s Office, citing legal concerns.

Speaking at an event in Nowshera, Maulana Fazlur Rehman criticised the government for “pressurising” religious seminaries and imposing “so-called reforms” under the guise of mainstreaming. He accused the authorities of pushing seminaries towards extremism and declared that they would not allow further government control over their institutions.

“You declared war on us; we did not,” Fazl stated, adding that differentiating between ancient and modern education was unjust. He emphasised that all forms of knowledge hold equal value.

Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhry Salik Hussain, in response, assured that the government is working to finalise the legal framework for the registration bill. He stressed that the delay does not mean the registration process is being abandoned.