Pak. ordinance to regulate seminaries

By B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD, AUG. 19 In what is seen as yet another step towards regulation of the mushroom growth of `dini madrasas' (religious seminaries) the military government in Pakistan has promulgated an ordinance to set up a board to set up `model schools' and oversee their working.

The `madrasas' of different Islamic sects are running thousands of schools through the length and breadth of Pakistan and some of them have been dubbed as `jehad' (holy war) factories influencing young minds to wage wars in different parts of the world in defence of Islam.

The international community, particularly the United States and the civil society in Pakistan, has been raising its voice over the proliferation of `madrasas' and urging the Government to regulate their functioning and bring them into the mainstream.

It is not clear if the ordinance promulgated by the Musharraf Government on Saturday night covers the existing religious schools.

The ordinance establishes the Pakistan Madrasah Education Board. Its primary objective is to develop a network of `model madrasas' and promote full-fledged, comprehensive and specialised Islamic education along with subjects of general education system.

The statistics on the number of religious schools in Pakistan are not reliable, as there has never been any census or system of accountability to the Government or any other institution.

The estimates of religious schools vary between 25,000 to 35,000 and there is consensus among Pakistan watchers that the schools play an important role in imparting education to children where the Government-run schools are not able to cope with the rush.

A few months after it took over the military Government tried in vain to conduct a survey of the religious schools.

The move met with stiff resistance particularly because the Government was keen on ascertaining facts about sensitive issues like funding source.

Irrespective of the `deficiencies', the ordinance promulgated by the Musharraf regime is another bold initiative in the last few days towards curbing the trend of religious fundamentalism in society. Its decision last week to ban two of the extremist religious outfits, alleged to be fanning sectarian violence, was widely acclaimed within and outside Pakistan.

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Section  : International
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