Musharraf Govt. buys peace with `madrassas'

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, OCT. 15. The military government in Pakistan has bought peace with the religious groups running madrassas ( religious schools) by agreeing to their terms to enable the administration conduct a survey on them.

For several months the Musharraf Government has been trying in vain to get the religious schools to respond to the proposal for a survey that would provide important details about them.

The religious schools had objected to the nature of information sought by the Government on the syllabus that formed part of the curriculum and the source of their funds.

Ultimately, the religious schools prevailed with the Government asking them to leave the controversial columns blank and fill only the details they want to reveal. The Interior Minister, Lt. Gen. (Retd.) Moinuddin Haider, has said that the controversy had been resolved `amicably'.

The Musharraf Government ordered a survey of the religious schools in the first few months after it took over power following allegations that some schools had become training camps for militants.

Under pressure from the west and concern within the country over the shift towards `Talibanisation', the government promised to keep strict vigil on the madrassas.

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Section  : International
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