Lahore, December 6, 2024: The Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) has issued a stern warning to the government, threatening a march on Islamabad if the Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024—pertaining to madrassa registration—is not approved promptly.
Speaking to reporters in Lahore on Friday, JUI-F Secretary-General Maulana Ghafoor Haideri accused the government of deliberately delaying the bill’s passage. He stated that while the JUI-F does not seek confrontation, the party would be forced to act if their demands are ignored.
Haideri urged the government to expedite the approval process, warning that failure to do so could lead to unrest. “This bill represents a consensus between the government and our party. Turning it into a contentious issue will only create unnecessary discord,” he said.
In a related development, Prime Minister Shehbaz Sharif held a telephonic discussion with JUI-F Emir Maulana Fazlur Rehman to address the matter. According to a JUI-F spokesperson, Fazl conveyed his concerns regarding the madrassa registration bill. The prime minister assured him of resolving all outstanding issues related to the legislation.
The Societies Registration (Amendment) Act, 2024, was passed by the National Assembly and Senate in October as part of an agreement between the government and JUI-F in support of the 26th Amendment. Fazl emphasized that the autonomy and independence of madrassas were non-negotiable and urged the government to honor its commitments to avoid escalation.
