LAHORE:
The Punjab government on Tuesday held consultations with delegations from Jamaat Ahle Hadith Pakistan and Jamia Ashrafia as part of its ongoing efforts to streamline the registration of religious seminaries (madaris) across the province.
The meetings were held at the Ministry of Interior and chaired by Provincial Health Minister and Chairman of the Cabinet Committee on Law and Order Khawaja Salman Rafique.
Interior Minister Dr Ahmad Javed Qazi, Special Secretary Fazal Rehman, Additional Secretary Abdul Rauf and senior officials of Special Branch, Counter Terrorism Department (CTD) and other relevant departments were also present.
The Jamaat Ahle Hadith Pakistan delegation was led by its chief, Hafiz Abdul Ghaffar Rupdi, and included senior religious scholars and organizational officials from Lahore and other regions.
A separate delegation from Jamia Ashrafia Pakistan was led by Hafiz Asad Ubaid and Abdul Rauf Farooqi along with representatives of various religious institutions and organizations.
Discussions during the meetings focused on the madrassa registration mechanism, addressing concerns of various schools and ensuring a transparent, simple and facilitative process.
Khawaja Salman Rafique said the Punjab government had made the registration process “extremely simple” after extensive consultations with religious scholars.
Acknowledging the role of madaris in imparting both religious and modern education, he said the government would continue to work with scholars from all sects to build consensus and mutual trust. He also emphasized that religious leaders play a vital role in social reforms and promotion of peace and harmony.
Minister of the Interior, Dr. Ahmad Javed Qazi, said the registration framework was being finalized through mutual consultation with representatives of various schools of thought and would be implemented in a coordinated and transparent manner under the supervision of the Ministry of Interior. He further informed the participants that the disbursement of stipends to mosque imams on the instructions of Chief Minister Maryam Nawaz would begin in January 2026. The initiative aims to recognize the services of religious leaders and strengthen their role in promoting harmony and lawful behavior in society.
Religious scholars welcomed the government’s commitment and expressed support for the measures taken by the provincial government to improve law and order in Punjab. They stressed that cooperation between the government and religious institutions was essential to maintain peace, especially with regard to mosques, madaris and interfaith harmony.
Punjab authorities said consultations with other religious organizations would continue in the coming days as part of a broader strategy to regulate madaris, promote transparency and prevent abuses while fully respecting religious autonomy.
