ISLAMABAD, July 31: Pakistan has declared that graduates of religious schools are exempt from a controversial new electoral law that bars non-university graduates from running for the General Elections.

The Election Commission issued a ruling, carried in state-run media late on Tuesday, stating that graduates of government-recognised madaris, will be considered eligible to contest the elections in October.

“For the purpose of the forthcoming General Elections, the holders of the ‘Sanad Shahadatul Almiya Fill Uloom ul Arabia Wal Islamia’ (certificates in Arabic and Islamic Studies)... shall be eligible to contest the forthcoming general elections,” the ruling said.

The certificates were “recognised as equivalent to M.A. Arabic/ Islamic Studies for teaching purposes by the University Grants Commission.”—AFP