PESHAWAR, Jan 31: The NWFP government has asked the federal government to formulate a uniform policy for the registration of Madaris, acceptable to the provinces, without affecting the sanctity and freedom of these institutions, or being a provincial subject, the province should be allowed to deal the matter independently, sources said.

“We need a policy that could strengthen the role of Madaris in society”, Hafiz Akhter Ali, NWFP religious affairs minister told Dawn on Friday.

He said that the federal government had been urged to make a policy  acceptable to the Madaris Education Boards of the country.

He said: “We are optimistic that federal government will be very positive and will not annoy Balochistan and the NWFP.”

The Centre was asked to continue the existing policy, because it was  more viable, he added. He said that the NWFP government would follow the federal policy  regarding the foreigners’ admissions in local Madaris.

The interior ministry had issued directives prohibiting Madaris from admitting aliens without legal documents and without obtaining permission from the ministry concerned.

The Sources said that the NWFP government had laid down three suggestions before the ministry of religious affairs; first, to continue with the existing policy, second, to design a new policy after consulting the five Madaris Education Boards, and third, to allow the province to form its own policy.

After Sept 11 attacks and the US-led war on terrorism the federal government had prepared a draft ordinance to check the affairs of Madaris.

The draft ordinance had proposed to establish madaris boards at provincial level and the district governments were also expected to monitor the activities of Madaris, Darul Uloom and Jamiahs, which were required to get NOCs from the authorities concerned.

The five madaris boards, Wifaqul Madaris wa Al-Arabia, Multan, Tanzeemul Madaris, Rabita Al-Madaris, Wifaqul Madaris Salfia and Wifaqul Madaris Al-Shiat, had rejected the proposed the Deeni Madaris (Registration and Control) Ordinance, 2002.

The total number of registered Madaris in the country is about 6,518, with an enrolment of 1,065,927 students, including 131,500 girls. In the NWFP about 10,000 Afghans are getting religious education.

Data collected by Punjab religious affairs ministry mentions 2,920 registered Madars, NWFP 1,281, Sind 905, Balochistan 692, Federally Administered Tribal Areas ,300, federal capital territory, 94, Northern  Areas, 195, and Azad Kashmir has 141 Madaris.

Official sources said that the Muttahida Majlis-i-Amal government in the province had planned to set up joint committees of Auqaf department and provincial assembly members to oversee the financial and administrative affairs of Madaris.

Besides registering Madaris the government will also provide funds to the registered Madaris in the province. At present only selective madaris receives funds from the Auqaf department for maintenance work.

The government has also asked the provincial Nifaz-i-Shariah Council, an advisory body comprising clerics and politicians, to propose recommendations on the issue.