The Pakistani government has sent a 21-point questionnaire to all madrasas and mosques in the country seeking adminstrative and functional details. The exercise is part of the implementation of the measures announced by President Musharraf in his televised speech to the nation against religious extremism and sectarianism on Saturday. The questionnaire seeks information on the year of the establishment of the madrasa or the mosque, the sect it belongs to, details of its office-bearers, its source of funding (government, local or private donations), and whether it is housed in in a built-up premises or mud structure. The madrasas not getting themselves registered with the government during the current exercise will be closed down, an official said. Also shut will be the seminaries found indulging in sectarianism, extremism and terrorism.
There will be a great weeping and gnashing of teeth over this. They've fought previous efforts along the same lines tooth and nail. |