Why a bill on religious seminaries is Pakistan’s latest flashpoint
Al JazeeraThe bill weakening government oversight over religious schools was a part of a political deal to push through a constitutional amendment. Rehman has since engaged in dialogue with government officials, including Sharif, arguing that the current law governing religious seminaries undermines their autonomy. One of the FATF’s demands before removing Pakistan’s name from the list was for the government to bring religious seminaries under its control, to ensure transparency in their financial operations. Hussain, in a statement issued by the Ministry of Religious Affairs last week, said that the government wants education-related issues to remain under the purview of the Education Ministry, including the registration of seminaries. This, according to Lahore-based analyst Majid Nizami, is the reason why the ongoing debate about religious seminaries and their control ultimately could come down – “directly or indirectly” – to what Pakistan’s powerful military establishment wants.
History of this topic
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