A recent analysis comparing the Directorate General of Religious Education (DGRE) and the Society Act has revealed critical differences in the registration and oversight of seminaries across Pakistan.
According to the study, while the DGRE, under the Ministry of Education, has streamlined, efficient, and transparent processes for seminary registration through an organized and standardized system, the Society Act, governed by the Ministry of Industries and Commerce or the Ministry of Interior, imposes restrictive legal frameworks, complex registration steps, hefty fees, and bureaucratic challenges.
The comparison underscores that while most educational institutions in Pakistan fall under the Department of Education, there is no logical reason for religious educational institutions to be associated with the Ministry of Industries and Commerce or the Ministry of Interior.
DGRE has played a vital role in equipping seminaries with modern education, providing technical training for students, addressing visa-related issues for foreign students, and promoting educational growth.
However, the Society Act has left seminaries vulnerable to political schemes and legal coercion.
Given these challenges, it has become crucial to prevent decades of efforts by seminary leaders from being undermined.
Experts suggest that immediate consultation among new educational boards under DGRE and a comprehensive press conference should be organized. This would aim to highlight the effectiveness of the DGRE system and raise public awareness about the drawbacks of the Society Act.
The registration of seminaries has been a long-standing requirement, for which consultation was held with seminary administrations, prominent scholars, and political leaders over various periods.
Initially, seminary administrations were not convinced about this registration process due to the legal complexities and lengthy procedures involved.
However, after years of hard work, the DGRE under the Ministry of Education established a one-window system, through which approximately 18,000 seminaries have been registered.
The Ministry of Education has made this process extremely convenient for seminaries and is running a campaign that utilizes every available medium. It is a very simple and straightforward one-window operation (as is evident from this advertisement).
