No decision yet on ‘long march’ over seminary bill delay: Fazl
• Slams coalition government for its delaying tactics
• Says govt’s failed to ensure security in KP
• PM Shehbaz assures JUI-F chief of early approval of the bill
SWABI/ISLAMABAD: Amid threats from his party leaders to protest delays in the presidential assent to the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act 2024, which pertains to seminaries, Maulana Fazlur Rehman said on Friday that JUI-F has not yet decided to launch a long march on Islamabad.
The statement came hours after Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif called the JUI-F chief and assured him that the government would expedite the approval of the madressah bill.
Maulana Fazl had earlier warned that if the bill was not signed into law by Dec 7, he would announce his next course of action at a rally scheduled for Sunday in Peshawar.
Speaking to the media during his visit to Swabi, where he offered fateha for the late JUI-Nazriati chief and former MNA Maulana Khalil Ahmad Mukhlis, The JUI-F chief said there had been an agreement on the madressah bill before the general election, and a draft was prepared.
“When we resumed discussions, regular negotiations were held for five hours, with PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari also present. Everything was resolved with consensus. So, where have these objections come from now?” he questioned.
He hinted at tackling the issues surrounding the madressah bill with force, expressing frustration over the government’s failure to approve the legislation. Maulana Fazl criticised the coalition government for its delaying tactics, noting that the bill, which had already been passed by parliament, was yet to be signed into law — a delay he vehemently resented.
In response to a question, Maulana Fazl said the JUI-F had made it clear that, based on the earlier consensus developed with the government, there should be no confusion regarding the madressah bill. “The delaying tactics of the federal government regarding the approval of the madressah bill are unacceptable to us. We want its approval as soon as possible.”
He added that the bill is intended to regulate the country’s religious institutions, and the ruling coalition government had initially agreed to it but was now delaying its passage, which he termed as an unfortunate development. “The government is consciously leading the people towards protests,” he warned.
When asked about potential changes in the country, Maulana Fazl said the JUI-F would not be a part of such changes, though he did not elaborate further.
Commenting on the deteriorating law and order situation in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, he said that people were facing numerous problems due to the government’s failure to ensure security.
He also questioned the role of the KP governor. “Why did the governor have to call a meeting [multi-party conference] when he lacks such authority? The governor is not in a position to gather all stakeholders on a single platform,” he said, asserting that the governor’s rule is not a permanent solution to the current situation.
PM’s assurance
Earlier in the day, PM Sharif called Maulana Fazl and assured him that the government would address the loopholes in the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act. The prime minister also assured the JUI-F chief that the bill would be approved at the earliest.
JUI-F spokesperson Aslam Ghauri told the media that Mr Rehman conveyed the concerns of religious seminaries regarding the reservations raised by President Asif Ali Zardari on the bill.
“The PM was informed that the government should avoid making this agreed bill controversial. We have a principled stance and will not allow any harm to the freedom and liberty of religious seminaries,” he added.
Sources in the JUI-F said the prime minister had assured them that the madressah registration bill would be passed in the joint session of parliament, which is expected to be held on Dec 13.
President Zardari had returned the bill to the National Assembly with certain objections on Oct 29, before proceeding to the UAE.
The bill was approved by the Senate on Oct 20, along with the 26th amendment. It passed through the National Assembly on Oct 21 and was forwarded to the president on Oct 22.
JUI-F parliamentarians had overlooked Article 75 of the Constitution, which states: “President shall give his assent within 10 days, failing which such assent shall be deemed to have been given”.
Interestingly, both the top leadership of the PPP and JUI-F had failed to track the bill’s progress.
During a meeting on Dec 4, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari assured Maulana Fazl that he would speak with the president to ensure the enactment of the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act in the coming days.
The amended act pertains to the registration of seminaries by the relevant deputy commissioner office, as it was prior to 2019.
In the same year, the PTI-led government, after thorough deliberations and with the consent of the seminaries’ management, shifted the registration of madrasas to the relevant education departments.
According to sources, the key objection raised by the Presidency regarding the bill was that seminaries are educational institutions, and ‘education’ is a provincial subject. The federal government can only enact laws related to the federal capital.
Under the 18th amendment, the federal government can only formulate laws on devolved subjects after obtaining consent from at least two provincial assemblies.
Published in Dawn, December 7th, 2024