PTI ministers visit Darul Uloom Haqqania

Defend funds allocation, flay campaign against seminary 

NOWSHERA: Defending the allocations in the budget for the fiscal 2016-17 for Darul Uloom Haqqania, the Pakistan Tehreek-e-Insaf (PTI) leaders on Friday expressed disappointment over what they called the malicious campaign in the media against the seminary.

A delegation comprising Minister for Elementary and Secondary Education Muhammad Atif Khan, Minister for Public Health Engineering Shah Farman, Member Provincial Assembly Idrees Khattak and others visited the seminary located in Akora Khattak. They also met with the chief of Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Sami (JUI-S) Maulana Samiul Haq at his residence.

Speaking on the occasion, they said funds were given to mosques and seminaries in the past as well. They recalled that the previous government of Awami National Party (ANP) in Khyber Pakhtunkhwa had provided Rs1.35 billion funds to mosques, particularly in Mardan district.

They said the ANP had ignored Darul Uloom Haqqania in the distribution of funds.They said the classrooms at the seminary were in a shamble and were not enough to accommodate the students.

It was pointed out that Darul Uloom Haqqania was among the oldest religious institutions of the country and had produced Islamic scholars and politicians who served the religion and the country.

The PTI delegation was informed that Haqqania Taleemul Quran High School was set up in 1936.It was told that more than 1,500 students complete their studies at the school every year. Besides, the delegation was informed that students of the seminary were serving the country in every walk of life and that late Awami National Party leader Ajmal Khattak was among those who studied at the school.

The ministers appreciated the role of the administration of Darul Uloom Haqania in the eradication of polio.They said students of the seminary would be provided modern education and the position holders of the religious institutions would be given scholarships.

About the alleged involvement of students of Darul Uloom Haqqania in the assassination of Prime Minister Benazir Bhutto, Maulana Samiul Haq said that the seminary had no links with terrorism and was a purely religious and educational institution.

He recalled that when he was a senator, the late prime minister exempted him from the rules and allowed him to use his funds on the development of the seminary.He said another former Prime Minister Yousuf Raza Gilani had visited Darul Uloom Haqqania and acknowledged its services.

Maulana Samiul Haq noted that the stance of Federal Minister for Information Pervez Rasheed, ANP leader Zahid Khan and the US regarding the Darul Uloom Haqqania was no different than each other.