Madrassa reforms make little headway

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ISLAMABAD — The much trumpeted madrassa reforms announced last month by President Pervaiz Musharraf last month in the wake of 7/7 London bombing have failed to make even nominal progress, according to media reports.

The process appears to have run into snags because of wrangling within the government, in particular between religious affairs and education ministries. The interior ministry is also involved has been at odds with the religious ministry led by Ejazul Haq whose father Gen. Ziaul Haq had encouraged proliferation of religious schools. Ejaz advocates steady and persuasive measures to bring the madrassas into mainstream life of the country. He has strongly defended the madrassas against allegations of spreading extremism and said there is no evidence any of the nearly 12,000 madrassas is involved in acts of terrorism or training militants.

“The government has made no movement on seminary reforms and registration for some three weeks, with no related meetings scheduled and new no policy guidelines issued to government departments,” Daily Times reported here.