Govt striving to mainstream seminaries: Khattak

NOWSHERA: Defence Minister Pervez Khattak said on Friday that Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) government was making concerted efforts to bring seminaries into the mainstream.

He was talking to a delegation of Ulema led by Syed Nisarullah Bacha, administrator of Darul Uloom Haqqania Azakhel. Pervez Khattak said that the decisions about mainstreaming religious seminaries would be made in consultation with Wafaqul Madaris and Ulema belonging to all schools of thought.

He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan respected seminaries as these were citadels of Islam and had played a great role in spreading Islam in the Indian subcontinent. The defence minister said nobody could undermine seminaries. He said that according to a rough estimate, four to five million students were receiving religious education at the seminaries. He said the previous PTI government facilitated seminaries by establishing laboratories and computer labs there. He said that Prime Minister Imran Khan wanted to promote the soft image of the country in the world.

Pervez Khattak said that certain elements were trying to create misconceptions among people for their vested interest. He said conspiracies would be thwarted to damage seminaries. The PTI government has the ability to steer the country out of the prevailing morass and put Pakistan on the path to progress, the minister said.

"Our opponents are not willing to accept our victory in the recent general election. They have ignored the accomplishments of the PTI that focused on the resolution of basic problems facing the people," he asserted.

Pervez Khattak said the PTI government was tirelessly working to weed out social evils of usury, corruption and dowry. He said that the past PTI government in the province took steps to streamline the curricula, announce salaries of peshimams.

The defence minister said the PTI was voted to power on the basis of its five years performance in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa. He said that the people were now politically mature and they would not be deceived by mere slogans.

The PTI government has formulated such foreign policy to establish relations with neighbouring countries on equal terms, the minister said. He said the PTI government would make Pakistan a strong economic power. "We are working hard to turn the ailing economy around within a short span of time," he said, adding that those criticising the PTI did nothing to improve the economic condition of the country during their rule.