Madrasa Act may lead to FATF, GSP+ curbs, fears president

ISLAMABAD: President Asif Ali Zardari apprehends that if the madrasa bill becomes a law, seminaries will be registered under the Societies Act, which may lead to imposition of FATF [Financial Action Task Force], GSP+ [Generalised Scheme of Preferences Plus] and other sanctions on the country.

According to sources here on Friday, the president raised eight objections over the bill ‘Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024, under which madrasas would be registered.

The president highlighted a potential conflict of interest arising from the registration process and expressed concerns on potential negative consequences for Pakistan’s international standing and internal stability.

President Zardari had returned the ‘Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024’ early this month with raising the objections on it. According to objections, raised by the president, the registration of religious seminaries under the law would lead to spread of sectarianism and establishment of many seminaries in the same society would lead to deterioration of the law and order situation.

The resident objected that there was a contradiction in the definition of madrasa in various provisions of the new bill. Referring to the Madrasa Education Board Ordinance 2001 and the Islamabad Capital Territory Trust Act 2020, the president objection stated that the new legislation could not be enacted in the presence of both acts.

The president said the Societies Registration Act 1860 was applicable within the limits of Islamabad; the clause regarding the applicability of the new amendments only in Islamabad was not included in the bill.

The president objected that by registering madrasas as societies, they could be used for purposes other than education; there was a contradiction in the definition of madrasa in various clauses of the bill.

The registration of madrasas in the society would lead to a conflict of interest and such a conflict of interest would also lead to international criticism, while the approval of the bill could lead to a change in the FATF and other international organisations’ opinions and ratings of Pakistan, the objection by the president said.

The president said there was no mention of madrasa in the preamble of the Societies Registration Act 1860; therefore, inclusion of madrasa education in the new bill would create a contradiction with the preamble of the 1860 Act.

The objection stated that if the registration of madrasas was started through the Societies Act, the grip of the law might become weak. He said in his objection that the Society Registration Act 1860 included fine art education including dance classes, art classes, etc.

The president suggested to the members of the assembly that international issues should be taken into account while drafting a bill related to madrasas.

Meanwhile, Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-F (JUIF) Friday said President Asif Ali Zardari did not follow the constitutional and legal procedure while raising objections to the Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024.

The bill concerns registration of madrassas (seminaries).

In a statement, JUIF spokesman Aslam Ghori said it seemed President Zardari was facing external pressure and that was why he had raised objections.

The JUIF leader said the president did not raise objection within the stipulated period as mentioned in the Constitution.

He said the president had raised the objections for the second time after his objections raised in the first instance had been responded.

“The president has no right to raise objections for the second time,” he said.

He also pointed out that the objections should have been sent to the speaker but it was not done. Moreover, he said the objections as sent to the speaker were responded.