Fazl warns of agitation if Madaris registration bill not signed

DERA ISMAIL KHAN: Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUIF) chief Maulana Fazlur Rahman on Thursday criticised President Asif Ali Zardari for not signing the Madaris Registration Bill and warned of going to the masses and staging protest rallies against the government.

“There is no justification for the government to raise objections over the bill. The bill has already become an act after its passage from the National Assembly and Senate,” he insisted while speaking at a press conference at his residence in Shorkot near here.

JUIF parliamentary leader in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa Assembly Maulana Lutfur Rehman, former provincial minister Abdul Haleem Qasuria, party district general secretary Chaudhry Ashfaq advocate, Mufti Abdul Waheed Qureshi, district information secretary Lal Khan Kharoti and others were also present.

The Maulana said that the 26th Constitutional Amendment was approved with the consensus of Pakistan Peoples Party, Pakistan Muslim League-Nawaz and other parties.

“We accepted the government’s draft but now attempts are being made to divide Ulema. Certain Ulema are being incited against us,” he complained, adding after the bill was passed by both the houses of parliament, why it was not being signed.

The JUIF chief added that they had not made any mistake and claimed that the bill had now become an act, saying the notification for it should be issued immediately.

He said that state institutions were involved in every stage of the process. “They were aware of every word in the bill. Why is it being made controversial now?” he asked.

“Why is a dispute being raised with Wifaq-ul-Madaris and Ittehad-e-Madaris-e-Deeniya? We bear no grudge against them. Those who drafted the bill are now instigating them to stage protest,” the Maulana said, adding that a new issue had been raised.

He said the government should either register the Madaris under the Societies Act or the Ministry of Education. He questioned why new madrassa organizations were created, alleging that institutions had a role in dividing the Ulema.

The JUIF chief appealed to Ulema to understand the ground realities and said, “Those who invited you and provoked you will lead you to open a front against each other.” He asked the Ulema who were they fighting with? “We have no conflict with Ulema, nor we are against you.”

The Maulana warned that if the rulers did not change their attitude, they would go to the masses and stage protest rallies against the government.

He also welcomed the reported dialogue between the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf and the government, saying it was a positive step. He reiterated that the JUIF always believed in negotiations.