KARACHI, Jan 4: The Tanzeemul Madaris Ahl-i-Sunnat Pakistan (TMASP) plans to establish an overseas network of religious seminaries to provide religious education to Muslim youth in accordance with their respective surroundings.

This was stated by TMASP president Mufti Muneebur Rehman on Wednesday here at a joint press conference with general-secretary of Jamaat Ahl-i-Sunnat UK (JASE) Allama Ghulam Rabbani.

He said that the post-9/11 and 7/7 scenarios made it imperative for religious teachers to have command over English. The TMASP, in collaboration with JASE, would strive to prepare a new course suiting needs and fulfil modern educational requirements for Muslim youth in foreign countries, he added.

But, he said, basic contents of Islamic teachings could not be changed. However, time period of course could be altered as students studying religion abroad would require three to five years to complete religious education under the proposed setup.

The two organizations have also initiated rehabilitation of mosques and seminaries campaign to mobilize donations for mosques and Madressahs destroyed in October 2005 earthquake in Azad Kashmir and NWFP.

Mufti Muneeb said 1,000 such schools and places of worship affiliated with TMASP were devastated in NWFP and AJK in the quake.

He said that the government and NGOs were focusing on rehabilitating affected people.

TMASP took up the task to re-establish Islamic schools and mosques. He appealed to the philanthropists and overseas Pakistanis to contribute generously for the noble cause.

The central chairman of the Ruet-i-Hilal Committee said that the JASP is also collecting donations in UK.

He said the issue of foreign students studying in Pakistani seminaries was being discussed with the Ministry of Religious Affairs and there would be no let up on matters pertaining to Islam.

In order to present Islam in Europe, TMASP plans to organize inter-faith dialogue in London to clarify allegations of terrorism, extremism and explain Islamic concept of brotherhood, peace and tranquillity.

Mufti Muneebur Rehman will be chief guest at annual Sunni conference in Birmingham, UK on July 16.—PPI