ISLAMABAD, Dec 31: Despite government’s opposition towards setting up of Madressahs, some 42 new religious seminaries were registered only in the capital during 2006.

According to a report of Islamabad Capital Territory (ICT) Administration, a total of 127 Madressahs were being run in the capital. Out of these, 77 were registered and 31 unregistered.

Besides, registration of another 19 Madressahs is also stated to be under process. The report said of total 77 registered seminaries, 42 were registered only in the year 2006.

When contacted, a senior ICT administration official, who did not want to be named, told Dawn that the government, by the end of 2005, had lifted a ban imposed on registration of seminaries in 1984. “As a result, such a large number of seminaries were registered in 2006,” the official said.

The government, he said, was encouraging establishment of those Madressahs which were ready to heed to its policy of ‘enlightened moderation’.

He said the managements of new seminaries had to fulfil all the requirements of the religious affairs ministry, prohibiting them from following such practices that fanned religious hatred and extremism.

The government has realised that it can curb terrorism through force, but not extremism. Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao has recently said extremism is the greater challenge for the government than terrorism.

He said: “We have to change the mindset of the students studying in Madressahs to overcome the menace of extremism.”

The ICT Administration had sent a separate report to the interior ministry in the recent past, informing it that some 69 unauthorised mosques and seminaries were present in the capital. Violating building laws of the Capital Development Authority (CDA), some of these unauthorised constructions can be seen on roadsides, and other on green belts.

The authorities concerned seem reluctant to take action in this regard, fearing the usual strong reaction from seminaries’ students. “Some 12,000 to 15,000 students are studying and residing in all Madressahs in Islamabad, and if any action is taken against them, they may become violent and create law and order situation,” the official said.

It has been observed that the management of a mosque/Madressah at G-6 has encroached upon the land of a library established by the National Book Foundation in the recent past.

“In some cases, the CDA has allowed only two rooms for mosques, but violating the authority’s rules, huge buildings have been constructed.”