ISLAMABAD, Dec 13 (NNI): The objections raised by President Asif Ali Zardari for not signing the Madrassa Registration Bill have come to surface.
Citing Pakistan Madrassa Education Board Ordinance 2001 and Islamabad Capital Territory Trust Act 2020, the President ruled that in presence of these two acts new legislation on the subject is impossible.
The president also mentioned Societies Registration Act 1860 which has been enforced in Islamabad and no provision was included in the new bill regarding enforcing new amendments relating to the federal capital only.
The president also remarked that international organisations like FATF might change their opinion if the Madrassa Registration Bill becomes a law.
The president has told the legal team of the government about his reservations on the bill.
In his remarks, President Zardari maintained that after adoption of the 18th amendment, the registration of religious seminaries is the domain of provincial governments and not of the federal government. He further maintained that in this case the bill applies on Islamabad Capital Territory, however, ICT has already registration mechanism, therefore, the bill could not be signed as per law and the Constitution.
The president also maintained that in the presence of an existing law, a new law could not be made, if it’s to be done then the existing law has to be repealed first by the parliament.
Raising his concerns regarding the legal validity of “The Societies Registration (Amendment) Bill, 2024”, particularly its lack of clarity regarding the jurisdiction of madrasah registration, the president further observed that 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. NNI
