Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman has postponed the party’s march to Islamabad to pressurise the government to enact the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill—legislation intended to register madressahs.

“I had previously mentioned making a final decision at the public rally in Peshawar,” he said while addressing a conference against Israel in Peshawar on Sunday.

“Today, I spoke with Mufti Taqi Usmani and it has been decided that a meeting of all allied madressahs will be held to take everyone into confidence and adopt a unified stance. If a call needs to be made afterwards, be prepared; this meeting will take place on December 16 or 17,” Fazl stated.

The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is legislation stemming from an agreement between the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl and the government in support of the 26th Constitutional Amendment. It extends the provisions of the Societies Registration Act of 1860 and introduces regulations for the registration of ‘Deeni Madaris’ through the relevant deputy commissioner’s office.

Under the new bill, seminaries with multiple campuses would require only a single registration. Each institution is mandated to provide an annual report detailing its educational activities to the registrar.

Furthermore, every madrasah is required to have its financial accounts audited and to submit the audit report to the registrar as well. The bill also prohibits seminaries from teaching or disseminating materials that endorse militancy, sectarianism, or religious hatred.

Earlier this week, President Asif Ali Zardari returned the bill to the federal government while raising objections.

“Do not send us threats, whether from the uniformed personnel or the agencies. We are not afraid of threats; they only provoke us. We are exercising restraint and we have kept those passionate supporters in check. If we decide to take action, your bullets will run out, but our resolve will not.”

Fazl stated that among the nearly 50,000 martyrs in Gaza, 75% are children and women. He slammed the United States for supporting Israel, questioning, “Do they have the right to talk about human rights? Their hands are stained with the blood of innocents. The US and Israel are the killers of humanity, as are the US and the Western world.”

He asserted that Zionism has no right to Palestine, emphasising that the land of Palestine belongs to the Palestinians. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Palestinians in their struggle,” he said and reaffirmed JUI-F’s solidarity with the Palestinian cause.

The JUI-F leader condemned the violence against Muslims, stating, “For 20 years, there has been a massacre of Afghans, and now bombing is happening over the Muslims in Gaza. Israel is indiscriminately bombing helpless and oppressed Muslims.”

While speaking on the 26th Constitutional Amendment, he said: “They [ministers] brought this amendment as a ‘dark snake;’ we presented a healthy amendment. Initially comprising 56 clauses, we managed to reduce it to 34.”

Fazl criticised the governments, claiming that they do not represent the people. “We stand alongside the people.”

He alleged that judges have been undermined in the political climate. “The first amendment bill was being hidden from us, and then we were told it needed to be passed in nine hours. We refused, and we continued discussions on it for a month.”

JUI-F’s Maulana Asad Mehmood hints at ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’

Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam would respond “affirmatively” to the leadership’s call for a ‘Jail Bharo Tehreek’, party leader Maulana Asad Mehmood said on Sunday.

“When we go to Islamabad, we will not return like the PTI members,” he said while addressing a conference against Israel in Peshawar.

Jailed former prime minister Imran Khan’s party called off its Islamabad march on November 26 night after, what they claim, firing at their protesters in the federal capital.

Khan had also launched a similar movement in February 2023, however, it was called off after a week when the Supreme Court in its 3-2 verdict ordered elections in Punjab and Khyber Pakhtunkhwa to be held within 90 days. The order was not followed.

In his speech, the JUI-F leader criticised Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Chief Minister Ali Amin Gandapur for allegedly hiding in Dera Ismail Khan Cantt after the no-confidence motion against the PTI founder.

He alleged that Gandapur did not come to power through votes but by paying money, saying: “Let the PTI members know that Ali Amin Gandapur is a representative of the establishment.”

Mehmood stated that the KP chief minister went to Islamabad at the behest of the sector commander and had been ruling with the approval of the Peshawar corps commander.

A large number of participants from across the province gathered for the event. JUI-F head Maulana Fazlur Rehman, Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, Maulana Asad Mahmood, former KP governor Haji Ghulam Ali, and JUI-F KP chief Maulana Attaur Rehman were present on the stage.

JUI-F’s Ziaur Rehman slams KP CM for his ’lack of academic engagement

JUI-F’s Ziaur Rehman criticised the KP chief minister for his “lack” of academic engagement.

“The [KP] chief minister goes to universities and claims that he has not studied anything. Ali Amin Gandapur was removed from the NCA for entering girls’ hostels after drinking,” Rehman said.

The JUI-F leader highlighted the chief minister’s journey through 12 districts to reach Peshawar and urged Gandapur to refrain from making statements against the JUI leadership.

JUI’s provincial chief attacks PTI government

JUI-F’s provincial leader Maulana Attaur Rehman criticised the PTI government in KP, saying: “We do not regard the PTI government even at the tip of our shoes. Those who sit on the strength of the establishment should not challenge us.”

Atta referred to alleged videos of Gandapur running away in fear, claiming that the KP chief minister had fled from Islamabad and sought refuge in Mansehra.

He added that any restrictions on religious schools (madressahs) would not be tolerated. While addressing President Asif Ali Zardari directly, he said: “Even Hakim Ali Zardari cannot impose bans on madressahs.”