Madrassa registration issue

Daily Times, August 16, 2005
Sindh, Balochistan madrassa registration now mandatory
Staff Report

KARACHI/QUETTA: Registration and annual audits have been made mandatory for religious seminaries operating in Sindh and Balochistan, by amendments to the Societies Registration Act 1860, introduced on Monday.

Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad promulgated the Societies Registration (Sindh Amendment) Ordinance 2005 under which no seminary can be established or operated in the province without being registered under the act.

A new section, 21, has been included in the 1860 Act, with four clauses. Clause 1 of the new section says, “All Deeni Madaris (religious seminaries) shall not be established or operated without being registered under this act and shall be subject to the provisions of this act in addition to what is provided in sub-sections (2), (3), and (4).”

Clause 2 of the section says all seminaries will have to submit annual reports of their performance to the registrars concerned.

Clause 3 says, “Every registered Deeni Madrassa shall maintain accounts of its actual expenses and receipts and annually submit its report to the registrar. The Deeni Madaris should have audit of their accounts done by auditors and submit their audited accounts to registrars.” Clause 4 of the new section states, “No Deeni Madrassa shall teach or publish any literature which promotes militancy or spreads sectarianism or religious hatred.”

APP adds: Earlier on Saturday, Balochistan Governor Owais Ahmed Ghani promulgated the Societies Registration (Balochistan Amendment) Ordinance 2005 by amending the Societies Registration Act 1860.

Section 21 has been added to the Societies Registration Act 1860 after Section 20 and it will come into force immediately.

The new section introduced in the 1860 Act says all madrassas shall not be established or operated without being registered under this act and shall be subject to the provisions of this act in addition to what is provided in sub-sections (2) and (4). Every madrassa shall submit annual report of its performance to the registrar.

Every registered madrassa shall maintain its accounts and annually submit its report to the registrar. The madrassas should have their audits done by auditors and submit their audited accounts to the registrar.

No madrassa will teach or publish any literature, promoting militancy, sectarianism or religious hatred. The amended ordinances say a madrassa means a religious institution primarily for religious education with boarding and lodging facilities.