The Federal Cabinet has approved the issuance of an ordinance concerning madrassa registration, accepting the demand of Maulana Fazlur Rehman. The cabinet also approved amendments to the Income Tax (Amendment) Ordinance.
The meeting, chaired by Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif, took place in Islamabad, where the overall political and economic situation of the country was reviewed.
The cabinet granted approval for the ordinance concerning madrassa registration in response to Maulana Fazlur Rehman’s demand regarding the Madrassa Registration Bill. Additionally, amendments to the Income Tax Ordinance were passed, which will impose heavy taxes on bank profits.
Earlier, on December 16, the Ittehad Tanzimat Madaris Deenia, an alliance of religious seminaries, had demanded that the bill, which had already become an Act, be officially notified without delay. They argued that the delay in the notification of the bill was unnecessary and urged the government to take immediate action.
In a press conference held in Islamabad, Maulana Fazlur Rehman and other religious leaders stressed that the bill had passed both houses of Parliament and was sent to the President for final approval after receiving signatures from the National Assembly speaker. They also pointed out that the bill had already undergone necessary amendments following some objections raised by the President on October 28, 2024.
The Cabinet’s approval is seen as a significant step forward in addressing the long-standing demands of religious schools for proper registration and regulation.
The “Societies Registration (Amendment) Act 2024” includes provisions requiring all madrassas to be registered. Unregistered madrassas will face closure, and those established before the bill’s implementation must register within six months. The bill also mandates that madrassas submit annual educational and financial reports and prohibits the teaching or publication of materials promoting extremism, sectarianism, or religious intolerance.
The decision reflects the government’s commitment to regulating madrassas while balancing the concerns of the religious community.
