Cabinet okays amendments to JUIF-backed madaris registration bill

ISLAMABAD: The federal cabinet on Friday greenlighted amendments to the contentious Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill 2024, which deals with the registration of madaris after the government and Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam Fazl (JUIF) settled all differences over the disputed legislation.

According to a statement issued by the Prime Minister’s Office, the meeting approved amendments in the Societies Registration Act 1860, based on the law ministry’s recommendations.

The development came two days after JUIF Senator Kamran Murtaza said that all differences related to the madaris registration bill between the government and his party have been resolved.

“A gazette notification of the Madaris Registration Act passed in the light of 26th Constitutional Amendment is likely to be issued in the next two days,” the senator said while speaking to Geo News.

Murtaza added that he and Minister for Law and Justice Azam Nazeer Tarar have finalised the draft of the legislation. “The matter will be completely resolved with the issuance of notification.”

The government, following the meeting between Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif and JUIF chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman, reportedly “accepted all demands of the Ittehad Tanzeemat-e-Madaris Deenia (ITMD)” regarding the contentious madrassa registration bill.

Meanwhile, the cabinet — in Friday’s meeting — also gave a nod to the amendments in the Income Tax Ordinance 2024, related to the banking companies as recommended by the Revenue Division.

It also approved the policy guidelines for carbon market trading, on the recommendations of Ministry of Climate Change and Environmental Coordination.

The cabinet okayed assigning the additional powers of insurance tribunals to all of the District and Session Judges of Khyber Pakhtunkhwa, on the orders of Peshawar High Court and recommendation of the law ministry.