Pakistan: Pakistani President General Pervez Musharraf has passed an amendment, which makes it mandatory for every madrassa (religious seminary) in Islamabad to carry out an audit of its accounts and prepare an annual educational activity report.
The law also prohibits seminaries from promoting militancy, sectarianism and religious hatred, a document issued by the law ministry said.
The Islamic schools have also agreed to Musharraf's insistence that they register, but have requested the government to extend the registration deadline till the end of June next year.
Madrassas had initially objected to this legislation, saying they were being discriminated against, but a representative from an umbrella organisation said the government was addressing their concerns.
Under the ordinance, madrassas that existed before the amendment was passed, if not already registered, should get themselves registered by December 31, 2005.
The Islamic schools dropped resistance to register by the year-end after reaching a compromise with the government in September this year.
Official estimates put the number of madrasas at 12,000. Some are centres of higher learning, teaching different schools of Islamic thought, philosophy and jurisprudence.
But, many more provide rudimentary schooling along with religious education, and free food and shelter to thousands of boys from poor families.
Pakistan's Interior Minister Aftab Ahmed Khan Sherpao also announced this week that closed circuit cameras will be installed in all mosques in the capital.
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