ISLAMABAD, 30 August 2005 — Raids and search operations will be carried out on madrasas propagating extremism and terrorism and have become safe haven for militants, said President Pervez Musharraf yesterday.
He threatened madrasas with closure unless they register with authorities by the year’s end. He also emphasized the need to stop funds flowing from outside the country to extremist elements.
At the same time Musharraf praised madrasas for helping about one million of the poorest children in Pakistan, and said the government would encourage the schools to teach modern subjects like science and technology.
“However, we will not let any madrasa to harbor terrorists or teach extremism and militancy,” Musharraf said at a conference on terrorism in Islamabad.
There are estimated to be more than 10,000 madrasas in Pakistan, long considered a breeding grounds for militants.
Musharraf once again reiterated that foreign students in the religious schools in the country have to leave Pakistan at their earliest. And there would not be any concession on this issue.
He demanded the world community to play its role in the resolution of Kashmir, Bosnia, Chechnya and Palestine issues, where Muslims are being tortured at large level.
Musharraf stressed, “By resolving Palestine and Kashmir issues life artery of terrorism can be cut off”.
In recent weeks, Musharraf has renewed his long-standing demand for madrasas to register with the government, and has demanded the expulsion of 1,400 foreign students — following reports that at least one of the suspects in the deadly July 7 bombings in London may have visited a madrasa in Pakistan.
Musharraf accused some schools of “spawning hatred, militancy” and said Pakistan had cracked down on a number of madrasas in its tribal regions bordering Afghanistan that had harbored terrorists.
“We will do the same in our cities,” he said.
Meanwhile, Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq said madrasas have until Dec. 31 to register or face closure.
“Those madrasas that will not register by Dec. 31 ... will be closed,” Haq told Pakistan’s Geo television network in an interview broadcast yesterday. “This is absolutely categoric.”
The government recently launched a registration campaign, handing out forms to seminaries, requesting information such as students’ and teachers’ names.
However, administrators of 250 madrasas vowed last week that they will not register, fearing the government will also make them disclose their sources of income.
Madrasas are mostly funded through private donations from inside Pakistan, but some also get money from other Islamic countries.
