LAHORE: Pakistan’s largest network of religious seminaries, Wafaq-ul-Madaris, has introduced sweeping reforms, banning online education and barring students who shave their beards from sitting in examinations.
The decisions were announced following a central meeting chaired by prominent Islamic scholar Mufti Taqi Usmani. Officials confirmed that any seminary submitting admission forms of students who do not maintain a beard will be asked to provide a written explanation.
If the justification is found unsatisfactory, the institution’s affiliation with Wafaq-ul-Madaris may be suspended.
The federation also declared that online and part-time education systems will not be recognized under its authority. All affiliated seminaries operating such systems have been directed to submit detailed compliance reports.
In a bid to reinforce discipline, Wafaq-ul-Madaris has also prohibited the recording and circulation of videos or photographs from official events, instructing officeholders to avoid releasing coverage of their gatherings.
Reiterating its stance on militancy, the body emphasized that armed struggle in the name of Shariah is unacceptable, asserting that only peaceful movements can be considered legitimate for the implementation of Islamic law in Pakistan.
The meeting further resolved to draft new regulations for female seminaries, enhance cooperation with the State Bank of Pakistan in efforts to abolish the interest-based financial system, and revise textbooks for primary, sixth, and seventh grades in line with guidelines from the Textbook Board.
To raise educational standards, Wafaq-ul-Madaris announced that annual examinations will now be conducted in two stages. The federation also urged authorities not to harass madrassas with unnecessary demands, while reaffirming that religious scholars remain firmly opposed to extremism and violence.
