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Religious schools registered in Pakistan

B. Muralidhar Reddy

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan's Minister for Religious Affairs Ejaz-ul-Haq has claimed that 10,000 madaris (religious schools) in the country have been registered so far. He told reporters in Rawalpindi that registration of remaining seminaries would be completed within a few weeks.

The schools have been the focus of world attention since 9/11. There is a perception particularly in the west that some of the schools have been nurseries for jehadis (holy warriors).

Following persistent pressure from the U.S. and its allies, President Pervez Musharraf had vowed to reform them and introduce modern curricula to ensure that the end products are not radicals.

After several false starts since 2002, the Government announced a deadline of December 31, 2005 for compulsory registration of the schools.

The deadline was extended on request from the schools.

The Minister told journalists that it is objective of the government to equip the students of madaris with modern education.

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