Daily Times

In an effort to control militancy and the alleged abuse of madrasas (religious seminaries) by some militant groups operating in the country, Pakistan’s government announced plans to bring all madrasas under the formal education structure of the country, as it is clearly mentioned in the National Action Plan Point 10 regarding registration and regulation of religious seminaries but neither the National Counter Terrorism Authority (NACTA) nor the Auqaf administration falling under the Islamabad Capital Administration (ICT) has valid claims about the non-registration of 29 madaris as well as the proper number of foreign students studying there.

According to the documents, 207 madaris and 86 mosques operating in Islamabad in which 16,149 students are studying but the Auqaf administration as well as NACTA has no details of the students and staff working in these religious seminaries.

According to documents, the following madaris have no legal cover of registration in Islamabad:

Syeda Khadijatul Kubra, Fatimatul Zuhra Al Banat, Talha Bin Obaidullah Khadijatul Kubra Bara Kahu, Syeda Sauda, Haqania Masjid Qasmia, Arabia Taleemul Quran, Abdullah Bin Umar, Riazul Aloom Al-Islamia, Umar Anwarul Quran, Darul Huda, Zaid Bin Sabit, Noorul Quran, Tahfeezul Quran, Darul Aloom Ghousia, Darul Aloom Kibria, Jawahirul Quran, Darusalam, Ishaatul Islam, Ali al Murtaza, Al Furqan, Hafsa Masjid Qurtaba, Fatimatul Zahra Nilor, Jamia Akhtaria, Abbasia Faridia Anwarul Quran, Syeda Hajira, Syeda Marya Qatbia lil Binat, Arabia Taheemul Quran and Syedia Safia Muhammadia.

According to the documents, 25 Deobandi, three Barelvi and ibe Ahle Hadees seminaries in Islamabad are not registered. The documents added that 16,149 students are studying in different seminaries of Islamabad in which 76 seminaries have less than 50 students while the other 75 seminaries have less than 100 students.

An official of the Auqaf department while talking exclusively to Daily Times said, “We didn’t force anyone to register their seminary with us but it’s upon them whether they want to register their madrasas with us or not.”

When asked if the registration of seminaries is the responsibility of the ICT administration to mainstream them under the law of the state, the official didn’t respond.

“The ICT administration of Islamabad has no proper mechanism to mainstream madrasas as well as to collect bio data of Pakistani and foreign students for observation and monitoring,” one of the officials of the ICT said, also while talking exclusively to Daily Times.

He added that if the Interior Ministry asked the achievements from ICT administration and NACTA, “I am not sure both departments have any achievements.”

By mainstreaming the madrasas, the government vowed that no one will be allowed to promote extremist ideologies, terrorism, hatred or sectarianism in the country but NACTA one of the main bodies to counter all these elements through research is still acting like a dead horse in implementing the plan.

NACTA Spokesman Mujeeb Talpur remained unavailable for comment.

District Commissioner Hamza Shafqat told Daily Times that as District Magistrate, “I have all details of foreign students and madrasas necessary for maintaining the law and order situation in the city.”

He, however, refused to comment on madrasas data issue.

Published in Daily Times, December 28^th 2018.