Madressah Registration Bill Becomes Act: Claims Maulana

Web Desk — The Madressah Registration Bill officially became an Act after the 10-day deadline for presidential action elapsed, according to Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUI-F) Chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman.

At a press conference in Dera Ismail Khan, Fazl stated, “The bill has already become an Act, and if there are no signatures for 10 days, does it not automatically convert into an Act?”

Last week, President Asif Ali Zardari returned the bill to the federal government with objections. In response, the JUI-F warned of protests in Islamabad if their demands were unmet. Fazl informed his supporters that party leaders were awaiting a December 17 meeting with Mufti Taqi Usmani to discuss the matter further.

The Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024, which amends the Societies Registration Act, 1860, includes provisions for registering Deeni Madaris under the relevant deputy commissioner’s office. It stipulates that madressahs with multiple campuses need only one registration. Additionally, all madressahs are required to:

Submit an annual report of their educational activities to the registrar.
Have their accounts audited by an auditor and submit the audit report to the registrar.

Fazl questioned whether the President could raise objections on an Act more than once. He noted that after the initial objections, the acting Senate chairman signed the bill and returned it to the President’s Office. He claimed the bill had now become an Act, citing a precedent where former President Arif Alvi did not sign a bill, yet a notification was issued.

The JUI-F chief criticised the delays and confusion surrounding the legislation, despite it being passed by the Senate and later by the National Assembly. He questioned why signing the bill was being delayed despite the completion of constitutional formalities.

Fazl also mentioned that discussions with President Zardari, PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, PML-N President Nawaz Sharif, and Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif had reached a consensus. Amendments to the religious schools bill, which JUI-F had accepted, were part of the process. He criticized the prevailing confusion, stating that even informed individuals were perplexed by the situation.