WASIM IQBAL

ISLAMABAD: Religious seminaries have urged the federal government to issue a directive to scheduled banks - through the central bank – to allow religious seminaries to open and operate their bank accounts.

Secretary Religious Affairs Suhail Aamir informed a sub-committee of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) on Wednesday that religious seminaries are complaining that commercial banks are not allowing them to open or operate bank accounts on suspicion of involvement in extremist activities.

The seminaries consequently requested the Ministry of Religious Affairs to support the issue of an appropriate directive to the central bank in this respect. The committee was held under the chairmanship of Naveed Qamar.

He said that five boards namely Wafaqul Madris Arabia Pakistan, Tanzeemul Madaris Ahl-e-Sunnat Pakistan, Wafaqul Madaris Salfia Pakistan, Wafaqul Madaris Shia Pakistan and Rabta Al Madaris Islamia Pakistan are facing similar problems.

He further said that the federal government, in consultation with all provinces, intelligence and other law enforcement agencies, has designed a registration form along with an affidavit as binding on all religious seminaries affirming that they are not engaged in any terrorism-related activity. In addition, they are also required to reveal their sources of funding, Secretary Religious Affairs Suhail Aamir informed the subcommittee.

He said that the registration form has been sent to all provinces, Gilgit-Baltistan (GB) and Azad Jammu & Kashmir (AJK) for final approval. “The form and affidavit have been prepared in consultation with military and civilian intelligence agencies, Ministry of Interior, four provinces, GB and AJK,” he said.

The registration form will collect the following information from the concerned departments: the name of sect, number of foreign students and teachers and their travel documents, sources of funding and income, total assets, bank accounts and the number of vehicles under their use.

He said provinces have almost completed the process of mapping religious seminaries which were registered under the Society Registration Act and majority of religious seminaries showed their readiness to comply with the directives of the federal government.

Different security agencies have different figures with respect to the number of seminaries ranging from 18,000 to 33,000. However, according to Ittehad-i-Tanzeemat-i-Madaris Pakistan, the total number of seminaries in the country is 26,000.