Islamabad (Web Desk): An important meeting of religious scholars and administrators of seminaries took place in Islamabad today, where key figures from the government and religious institutions gathered to discuss the registration and reforms of religious seminaries.
Khalid Maqbool Siddiqui, the Minister for Education, addressed the gathering, stating that the decision to register the seminaries was taken with consensus in 2019.
He clarified that the intention was never to control the seminaries but rather to ensure that their benefits were extended to the entire country.
The minister assured that the Ministry of Education would continue its support to the religious seminaries.
Minister for Religious Affairs Chaudhary Salik Hussain emphasized the government’s commitment to improving the future of the students in these seminaries.
He underscored the importance of integrating modern education alongside religious teachings to equip the students with contemporary knowledge.
Minister for Information and Broadcasting Attaullah Tarar remarked that the registration of religious Madaris with the Ministry of Education had already started to yield positive results.
He noted that students from these seminaries are excelling in diverse fields, including science and Information Technology.
Tarar pointed out that the registration process had been carefully developed after in-depth discussions with religious scholars from all schools of thought, with the ultimate goal of bringing the students into the national mainstream.
He also mentioned that the government would listen to suggestions from Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman and seek a solution acceptable to all parties involved.
Tarar congratulated the Directorate of Religious Education for successfully registering 18,600 seminaries, acknowledging the effort and hard work involved.
He stressed the importance of addressing issues related to law and order, emphasizing the need to create awareness to counter terrorism and maintain peace within the country.
Director General of Religious Education Major General (Retd) Dr Ghulam Qamar highlighted the vital role of seminaries in providing education to children from disadvantaged segments of society.
He shared that, this year, 2,500 students from religious seminaries had received technical training, and efforts were being made to provide more teachers and resources to the seminaries.
The meeting was attended by religious scholars and administrators from a range of schools of thought, demonstrating the ongoing collaboration between the government and religious institutions in strengthening the educational framework for seminaries in Pakistan.