Registration and annual audits have been made mandatory for religious seminaries operating in Sindh and Balochistan, by amendments to the Societies Registration Act 1860, introduced on Monday. Sindh Governor Dr Ishratul Ibad promulgated the Societies Registration (Sindh Amendment) Ordinance 2005 under which no seminary can be established or operated in the province without being registered under the act. A new section, 21, has been included in the 1860 Act, with four clauses. Clause 1 of the new section says, âAll Deeni Madaris (religious seminaries) shall not be established or operated without being registered under this act and shall be subject to the provisions of this act in addition to what is provided in sub-sections (2), (3), and (4).â
Clause 2 of the section says all seminaries will have to submit annual reports of their performance to the registrars concerned.
Clause 3 says, âEvery registered Deeni Madrassa shall maintain accounts of its actual expenses and receipts and annually submit its report to the registrar. The Deeni Madaris should have audit of their accounts done by auditors and submit their audited accounts to registrars.â Clause 4 of the new section states, âNo Deeni Madrassa shall teach or publish any literature which promotes militancy or spreads sectarianism or religious hatred.â