JUI-F Threatens Islamabad March Over Non-Passage of Religious Schools Bill

Islamabad: Maulana Abdul Ghafoor Haidri, the General Secretary of the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (F), has warned the federal government that if the Religious Schools Bill is not passed by December 8, the party will march towards Islamabad. Haidri emphasized that the JUI-F and its allies are committed to the bill’s approval and will take further action if the deadline passes without the bill’s passage.
“We understand that the country is not in a position to bear further unrest, but as religious people, we do not want to be forced to march towards Islamabad,” Haidri stated.
The bill, which deals with the registration and regulation of religious schools (madaris), was passed by the National Assembly but returned by President Asif Ali Zardari without approval. Zardari’s refusal to sign the bill has upset Maulana Fazlur Rehman, the head of JUI-F, who has been vocal in his criticism of the President’s stance.
Earlier, JUI-F leader Hamidullah also remarked that by withholding the bill, President Zardari had effectively declared a “war” on the religious community.
While Bilawal Bhutto Zardari, the PPP Chairman, held discussions with Maulana Fazlur Rehman regarding the issue, a resolution has not yet been reached.
JUI-F leaders have further demanded that since the bill has not been signed by the President, it should automatically become law after 10 days, urging the government to issue the official gazette notification.