Balochistan to register unregistered seminaries

The Balochistan government has launched a province-wide registration drive targeting unregistered religious seminaries following concerns over alleged irregular activities in certain institutions, official sources confirmed on Saturday.
Authorities have identified around 300 unregistered madrassas operating across the province without formal documentation. These institutions will now be brought under a legal and regulatory framework to ensure compliance with provincial laws and strengthen institutional oversight, according to senior officials familiar with the matter.
Officials said data related to suspected irregularities in select seminaries has been compiled into a centralized database, prompting authorities to accelerate documentation and enforcement efforts for the remaining unregistered institutions. The database, which has been in development over several months, collates intelligence from multiple law enforcement and administrative sources.
Out of nearly 2,600 madrassas operating in Balochistan, a large majority are already registered. The government is now focusing on bringing the remaining institutions into the formal registration system under the prescribed legal mechanism. Officials estimate that the registration drive will be completed within three months, pending cooperation from seminary administrators.
The provincial government is also engaging religious scholars and representatives of major religious boards as part of a consultative process aimed at ensuring transparency and avoiding misunderstandings during implementation. 
Officials said this dialogue is intended to facilitate smooth execution of the registration campaign while maintaining trust with stakeholders. Several meetings have already taken place between government representatives and prominent religious figures in Quetta.
The drive is being implemented under the Balochistan Madrassa Registration Act 2019, which provides a legal framework for the registration, monitoring, and regulation of seminaries across the province. Authorities clarified that the initiative is not directed at any specific group or institution but is intended to strengthen governance, regulatory compliance, and administrative oversight.
Government officials said the objective of the campaign is to enhance transparency, improve accountability, and curb any unregulated or unlawful activities within religious educational institutions. Analysts note that effective regulation of madrassas has long been considered important for institutional governance and administrative oversight in the province.