Proposal to amend Hudood and blasphemy laws: no step against any particular sect: Ijaz

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Ijaz-ul-Haq has said that some procedural amendments were being made in the Hudood Ordinance and the Blasphemy Act for protection of rights of majority and minority and no step would be taken against any particular sect of society. Talking to newsmen, he said the government is also considering a proposal to make it mandatory for educational institutions to recognise degrees of seminaries so that the students could be imparted modern education.
He said that a committee had already been formed for this purpose. It comprises federal secretaries of religious affairs and education and representatives of all sects of society. The task would be finalised within a month and legislation would follow later on, he said.
He said at present over 2,400 religious seminaries were imparting modern education to their students along with Islamic courses, which was a great achievement in this regard.
Ijaz disclosed that a grand meeting of religious scholars would be held in Lahore on April 7 to discuss important national issues, including implementation of a law for degrees of Madrassas and changes in laws. On the killing of a Shia leader, he said it was a conspiracy by the anti-Islam and anti-state elements.
Earlier, addressing the annual convocation of the Jamia Salfia, Federal Minister for Religious Affairs, Ijaz-ul-Haq said that enlightenment and moderation is in line with the spirit of Islam and the government is trying to improve the image of Pakistan by encouraging contemporary education in addition to religious education in more than 12,000 Madaris across the country.
He said that Pakistan is the first ideological country, which was created in the name of Islam, and no government could dare to deviate from its basic ideology. However, sometime we have difficulties in presenting to international community a true picture of Islam.
He denied that government intends to interfere in the affairs of religious schools (Madaris) and said that we want that these Madaris must maintain their ideological identity. However, they must encourage contemporary education along with religious education to promote the concept of moderation and enlightenment.
He said that government is working on a proposal to add science subjects in the syllabus of the religious schools to issue matriculation, FA, BA and MA degrees to its students.
He said that one million students are studying in more than 12,000 religious schools including 1,300 Madaris of Jamia Salfia. Most of them were already imparting contemporary education to its students and their standard is not below any other university.
He said that we would not interfere in the affairs of these institutions, however, we would give them necessary financial and technical assistance if they demanded.
The federal minister also condemned the murder of Shia leader Allama Ghulam Hussain Najafi and termed it an act of terrorism. He said that no Muslim could even think of indulging in such heinous crime.
Earlier, Allama Muhammad Bin Saad Al Dosri of Maktibae Al Dawa Islamabad addressed the function while Mian Naeem ur Rehman President Jamia Salfia presented address of welcome.
Later, Ijaz ul Haq and Al Sheikh Rehmat Ullah Qari of Maktibae Al Rabita also distributed certificates and prizes among the students of Jamia Salfia who have graduated from other institutions. Maulana Muhammad Yousaf Anwar Markazi Naib Amir Jamiat Ahle Hadith, Sahibzada Zahid Mahmood Qasmi, Hafiz Abdur Rasheed Azhar, Soofi Ahmad Din, Haji Ghulam Muhammad, Sheikh Bashir Ahmad, Maulana Kashif Nawaz Randhawa, former MPA Haji Abdur Razaq, and Professor Yasin Zafar Principal Jamia Salfia were also present. Earlier, the federal minister also inaugurated a new administration block of the Jamia Salfia.