ISLAMABAD, OCT 05 (DNA) – Pakistan has initiated registration of religious seminaries, first time in the country, from Monday.

The federal government has set up registration offices in all four provinces, Islamabad, Azad Kashmir and Gilgit-Baltistan but the seminaries not yet applied for registration forms, sources said.

“Eight to 10 officials of seminaries have contacted the liaison office at the Ministry of Education but none of Madaris officials in person visited for the registration forms,” sources said. The religious seminaries will be registered under the agreement between the federal government and Ittehad-e-Tanzeemate-Madaris, a coalition of religious seminaries.

After completion of registration process, the seminaries will be affiliated with the Ministry of Federal Education and Professional Training, according to sources.

The government has set up registration centres in 133 districts across the country and also in the federal capital city. The provincial officers will perform as contact officers in major cities, including Karachi, Lahore, Islamabad, Quetta, Peshawar, Muzaffarabad and Gilgit.

The authorities also deputed district-level officers in all provinces including AJK and Gilgit-Baltistan regions. = DNA

==========================