JUI refuses to shut seminaries over coronavirus threat

MANSEHRA: The Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam (JUI) has refused to close down seminaries, saying they wouldn’t shut down the religious educational institutions until Wafaqul Madaris asked them to do so.

“We would never allow district administration to close seminaries until the Wafaqul Madaris take a decision,” Mufti Kifayatullah, the district president of JUI, told a gathering. A large number of heads and teachers of the seminaries from parts district attended the gathering here on Friday.

The administration had constituted committees comprising the police personnel, patwaris, local elders and Ulema to ensure closure of the seminaries to contain spread of novel coronavirus.

Mufti Kifayatullah said that the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government was adopting such policies to bring the religious educational institutions under its control. “The seminaries run under Wafaqul Madaris and we would never accept the order of the government us in the name of Covid-19,” he said.

Speaking on the occasion, former senator Hidayatullah Shah said talks were being held between the government and Wafaqul Madaris over the closure of seminaries. “We warn the government not to attempt closure of the seminaries as we would close seminars on the orders of Wafaqul Madaris,” said Shah.

Maulana Saeed Abdullah said that seminaries were strictly following the coronavirus standard operational procedures. “We have to complete different courses for students as we are far behind schedule set by the Wafaqul Madaras for examinations,” said Abdullah.