The federal cabinet on Friday approved amendments to the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, which focuses on the registration process of madrasas in Pakistan.
A statement from the Prime Minister’s Office confirmed that cabinet had backed changes to the Societies Registration Act 1860, based on recommendations from the Ministry of Justice.
This approval comes after the resolution of all disputes between the government and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) over the controversial legislation.
The amendments are expected to facilitate a simplified process for registering religious seminaries (madrassas) across the country, addressing long-standing concerns raised by religious parties, particularly JUI-F.
The breakthrough came two days after JUI-F senator Kamran Murtaza announced that all differences over the madrassa registration bill had been resolved. He further confirmed that a gazette notification on the bill is likely to be issued in the next two days, finalizing the legal framework.
Murtaza, along with Law Minister Azam Nazeer Tarar, said the bill had been finalized and would soon come into force, marking the conclusion of discussions.
The resolution of the issue came after a meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JUI-F chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, during which the government reportedly agreed to meet all the demands set by Ittehad-e-Tanzeemat -e-Madaris, an organization representing madrassas. .
The approval of the amendments marks a key step in the government’s efforts to regulate madrassas, while also attempting to address concerns of religious parties regarding the oversight and autonomy of religious institutions.
