ISLAMABAD, Feb 20: Prime Minister Shaukat Aziz was informed on Monday that the process of seminary registration was continuing and so far some 9,271 seminaries had been registered.

Officials of the departments concerned said the approximate number of seminaries stood at 13,000 plus. All prominent madressahs in the country are included in the registered category.

The process of registration which was initiated early last year when President Pervez Musharraf gave a deadline of Dec 31,2005. The process however stopped twice when differences erupted on the registration law.

The largest coalition of seminaries, Ittehad Tanzeemat Madaris Deeniah, a conglomeration of five major federations of seminaries, agreed to register only after the government twice amended the registration law to their satisfaction.

The prime minister, who presided over a meeting to review the performance, goals and targets of the ministry of religious affairs, appreciated the arrangements made for Haj this year and stressed the need for further improvement.

He was informed that the goals and targets for Haj arrangements were fulfilled and the law regarding Haj and Umra policy would soon be adopted.

Federal Minister for Religious Affairs Ijazul Haq told the premier that an inter-madressah board would soon be formed to bring the curriculum of madressahs into the mainstream of education system.

About the issues of minority, the premier said the constitution guaranteed equal rights to minorities and gave them the right and freedom to exercise their religion and beliefs.

He said the government was determined to protect worship places of minorities and would not allow anyone to damage them on any pretext.

Premier Aziz also said this was the first time that any government had given minorities the dual right of vote. They can vote for the reserved seats as well as in the joint electorate.

He said the government had taken a number of steps to maintain, safeguard and upgrade the worship places of minorities in the country.

He appreciated performance of the Evacuee Trust Board and asked them o take more steps to use the assets of the trust for more income generation programmes.

State Minister for Religious Affairs Dr Amir Liaqat Hussain and secretaries religious affairs and minorities division also attended the meeting.