LAHORE, Nov 26: Federal Religious Affairs Minister Ijazul Haq says amendments to the Hudood Ordinance are under consideration while the Madaris Registration Ordinance is ready for promulgation within days. Talking to reporters at the Jamia Manzoorul Islamia, a religious seminary, here on Saturday, he said the Hudood Ordinance would be amended to curb levelling of false allegations.

Under the amended law, the person levelling false accusations would be liable to go through the same punishment described for the offender in case of true charges, he added.

The investigation level was also being increased up to the rank of SP/DPO, Haq said, clarifying that the government had no plans to repeal Islamic laws.

The federal minister said the law department had framed the Madaris Registration Ordinance and after approval by the cabinet and the president, it would be promulgated.

It would be implemented within days, he said, telling a questioner that religious seminaries and their associations were ready to cooperate with the government on the issue.

He said there were 4,500 registered seminaries and 1,800 more have recently followed suit while only around 5,000 are unregistered.

Those already registered would not have to get themselves re-registered under the new law, he added.

Answering a question, he said the deadline — Dec 31 — for foreign students studying in seminaries to leave the country was unchanged.

Haq termed the Sangla Hill incident regrettable and promised trial of the accused under section 295-C.

He said the Punjab government had requested the Lahore High Court chief justice to appoint a judge for judicial inquiry into the incident.