• Opposition leader Younus Zehri terms action excessive despite supporting registration
• Province-wide protest and Quetta sit-in announced for May 10

QUETTA: Opposition members in the Balochistan Assembly, including those from Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F), staged a walkout during Tuesday’s session in protest against raids conducted on religious seminaries across the province.

They also announced plans to continue their protest against the government’s actions.

Soon after the session resumed following a 19-minute break, presided over by Speaker Capt (Retd) Abdul Khaliq Achakzai, the opposition leader, Mir Younus Aziz Zehri, raised the issue on a point of order. He alleged that, under the pretext of registering seminaries, law enforcement agencies had conducted raids on several seminaries, and some mosques had been sealed in Quetta and other parts of the province.

He said the opposition had no objection to the registration process itself, but criticised the administration’s approach. He added that there were around 2,600 seminaries in Balochistan, of which 2,200 had already been registered, while efforts were underway to register the remaining 400 under the Societies Act. He warned that they would not allow any harm to seminaries and would take to the streets if necessary.

Zehri further said that legislation under the 26th Constitutional Amen­dment had already been passed in the National Assembly and stressed that any action should follow proper provincial legislation.

The Speaker summoned the Additional Chief Secretary (Home) to the assembly over the seminary registration issue.

Provincial Home Minister Ziaullah Langove described seminaries as “fortresses of Islam”. He said some arrests had been linked to seminaries, which prompted the government to require their registration. He added that the government stood with religious seminaries and would address misunderstandings through dialogue with the chief minister.

Public Accounts Committee Chairman Asghar Ali Tareen said the opposition wanted seminaries to be registered under the Societies Act, while the government preferred registration under the Charities Act.

He also announced that a province-wide protest would be held, adding that on May 10, they would come to Quetta with copies of the Holy Quran and prayer mats to stage a sit-in.

Provincial Minister Ali Madad Jattak said a government team would visit Mau­lana Abdul Wasey’s residence along with the chief minister to discuss the issue.

PPP parliamentary leader and Provincial Minister Sadiq Umrani said the government respected seminaries and religious scholars and would work towards resolving the matter through dialogue.

During the session, Jamaat-i-Islami MPA Maulana Hidayatur Rehman attempted to speak on the issue, but continued addressing the House without permission, prompting the Speaker to warn him for disrupting proceedings.

JUI-F member Ghulam Dastagir Badini said seminaries and mosques in his constituency had been sealed without prior notice. Maulana Hidayatur Rehman warned that if seminaries were closed, they would take to the streets and continue religious education there.

JUI-F member Syed Zafar Agha cautioned that if action against seminaries did not stop, they would “bring down the government”. Later, opposition members walked out of the assembly in protest against the sealing of seminaries and mosques. However, they were later persuaded by government members to return and resume proceedings.

Published in Dawn, May 6th, 2026