A deadlock persists between the government and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman regarding the registration of madressahs.

Fazl has remained steadfast in his position, sources said while backdoor communications between both parties are ongoing despite all attempts made by the government to persuade the JUI-F chief gone in vain.

On the other hand, the Ittehad Tanzeemat Madaris Deeniya has called for a two-day meeting on December 16.

Last week, President Asif Ali Zardari returned the bill to the federal government while raising objections. The JUI-F has warned the government of protest in Islamabad if their demands were not accepted. Fazl told his supporters on Sunday that his party was waiting for December 17 when the party leaders would meet Mufti Taqi Usmani to deliberate on the matter.

The Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024 extends the Societies Registration Act, 1860 and includes provisions for the registration of ‘Deeni Madaris’ under the relevant deputy commissioner office.

The bill specifies that a madressah with more than one campus needs only one registration, and every madressah must submit an annual report of its educational activities to the registrar. Moreover, each madressah must have its accounts audited by an auditor and submit the audit report to the registrar.

On Friday, President Zardari expressed concerns about potential negative consequences for Pakistan’s international standing and internal stability if the bill turned into a law.

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It merits here mentioning that Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif has sent advice to President Asif Ali Zardari to convene a joint session of Parliament where it is expected that the approval of eight bills, including the registration of madressahs, would take place.

Earlier in the day, JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah criticised the government regarding the objections raised by the president on the bill.

In a statement, Hamdullah alleged that President Zardari’s objections have revealed the “true intentions” behind the bill, confirming that the main objective was to bring seminaries under the Financial Action Task Force framework.

President’s objections to seminaries’ bill nothing to do with FATF: Tarar

Information Minister Attaullah Tarar said on Saturday the objections raised by the president on the seminaries’ registration bill were completely “constitutional and legal”.

In a post on X, he said: “In these objections, there is no mention of Financial Action Task Force, nor they have any connection with it.”

He added that it was not in the interest of anyone to politicise the constitutional and legal matters. “Linking the registration of seminaries with FATF is nothing but a creation of complete imagination and speculation”, he said.

“The Constitution elaborated the complete procedure for legislation,” he said and added the president objected in accordance with the Constitution and Parliament would also rectify it in the same spirit.

“The purpose of these speculations is to target the powers of the President and Parliament,” he said and urged the people not to criticise the issue just for the sake of criticism.