Daily Times

In a rather surprising move, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government announced Rs 300 million funding for a madrassa that has been the alma mater of some of the hardcore militants, including some Afghan Taliban leaders as well as the alleged culprits of the assassination of the former prime minister, Benazir Bhutto. The Khyber Pakhtunkhwa assembly was told on Thursday that Darul Uloom Haqqania, administered by Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami chief, Maulana Samiul Haq, has been allocated Rs 300 million in the annual budget for 2016-17. The provincial finance minister said that the PTI-led government was not raiding and targeting religious institutions but had been providing them financial assistance. He claimed that the provincial government was also providing financial support to other seminaries and mosques of the province. Following an outcry from the opposition parties as well as the general public, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government clarified its position, saying that the step was taken to bring the seminary into the mainstream, and to check the financing of seminaries from external sources.

Imran Khan has been a vocal proponent of negotiations with the Taliban, and other militant groups. Soon after coming to power in the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) chief had called for talks between the Taliban and the government. He had even invited the Taliban to open their office in Peshawar. Similarly, in the wake of the outcry from the political opposition as well as the people from all walks of society, the government has stated that it has the vision to streamline all sorts of education systems into one system that seeks to bridge the appalling disconnect between the government and the seminary systems. Khan had clarified that the Darul Uloom Haqqania had agreed to implement reforms in return for government’s budget allocation of Rs 300 million for the religious seminary.

The opposition parties have severely criticised the PTI government for its stance towards the Taliban. Being the frontline province in the war against terror the region has suffered the most in every aspect. Although the earlier efforts of bringing the Taliban and other dissident groups to the negotiating table had not paid any fruit, the attempt to streamline the madrassas should not be politicised if the government is willing to implement the reforms sincerely. Streamlining of madrassas through reforms and keeping a check on the funding of madrassas funds has been a part of the National Action Plan (NAP), envisaged post-December 2014 APS Peshawar attacks. No doubt there is a large gap between the education systems of public schools and the seminaries. The strategy of the provincial government to upgrade the educational system of seminaries to bring it at par with the government system is a positive development and should be appreciated as more than three million students study in these seminaries. Moreover, it will allow the government authorities to keep a check on illegal activities including militant training. Madrassa reforms were undertaken during Musharraf’s era as well but did not yield any significant results as the religious leaders were not on board. Since the religious leaders have agreed to implement the reforms, this time around the provincial government should be given enough time to implement the reforms completely before blaming anyone of “supporting terrorists.”

As long there is a system to check the curricula and ideologies of faculty members, there is a good chance that a madrassa could become a mainstream educational institution, which while focusing on religious teachings is modern, progressive and free of lessons of radicalism, regressive ideas and bigotry.

The important thing to consider is that extremism is not a concrete thing, nor can terrorism be eliminated in full as if it were a tangible phenomenon. Changing of mindsets, and eradication of a system of indoctrination are the steps that taken slowly and steadily can pave the way for a Pakistan that is tolerant, open-minded, and a home to people of all faiths and ideals.*