ISLAMABAD: President Asif Zardari has sent back the Madrasas Registration Bill with objections to the Prime Minister’s Officer, it is learnt.
According to the sources, the president raised concerns over legal validity of “The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, particularly its lack of clarity regarding the jurisdiction of madrasah registration.
After approval of the Senate, the bill has been passed by the National Assembly on October 21, 2024. But, the bill was not sent to the president’s office timely. When a bill reaches the table of the president, the president has to sign it to become law or send it back by citing objections in writing on the bill within 10days.
A bill is sent to the president through the Ministry of Parliamentary Affairs and the Prime Minister’s Office. However, the sources said that the government deliberately used delaying tactics in sending the bill to the office of the president.
After the president’s objections on the bill, now it would be presented in the joint-sitting of the Parliament. It is up to the joint-sitting of the Parliament, to pass the bill with or without advices of the president or pending it.
The registration of madrasahs falls under the provincial education ministries, and there are already two existing laws governing madrasah registration in Islamabad. The new bill does not specify that it would supersede these existing regulations.
As a result, President Zardari has sent the bill back without signing it, and despite the wishes of Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari, it remains unsigned. The bill, which focuses on regulating madrasah accounts and registration, is viewed as a provincial issue.
The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024, is legislation stemming from an agreement between the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) and PML-N government and commitment of PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari to the JUI-F in exchange for the JUi-F’s support for the 26th Constitutional Amendment.
Earlier, on Wednesday, Bilawal met with the Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam (JUI-F) chief in Islamabad.
The JUI-F chief expressed his concerns about the delay, asking, “Why has the president not signed the Madrasah Registration Bill despite its approval in both houses?”
In response, Bilawal had assured the JUI-F leader that he would raise the matter with the government and ensure the issue is addressed. “I will talk to the government about why the bill has not been signed,” Bilawal said.
Copyright Business Recorder, 2024
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