Will take up madarasas bill issue with govt, Bilawal reassures Fazl

• Lack of presidential assent despite parliament's approval irks Fazl.
• JUI-F's Hafiz Hamdullah questions supremacy of parliament.
• Advises PPP Chairman Bilawal Bhutto to talk to President Zardari.

ISLAMABAD: Pakistan Peoples Party (PPP) Chairman Bilawal Bhutto-Zardari has reassured Jamiat Ulema-e-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F) chief Maulana Fazlur Rehman that he would take up the issue of madrasa registration bill signing issue with the government, The News reported on Thursday.

Bilawal, during his visit to Fazl's residence, discussed the country’s political situation. Whereas, Maulana expressed concerns over the president not signing the madrasa registration bill.

The JUI-F chief maintained that despite approval of the bill from both houses of parliament, it was still not signed by the president.

The meeting was also attended by former prime minister Raja Pervez Ashraf and senior PPP leader Qamar Zaman Kaira. Meanwhile, the JUI-F delegation included Senator Kamran Murtaza, Abdul Ghafoor Haideri, Maulana Lutafur Rehman, Maulana Asad Mehmood and former governor Khyber-Pakhtunkhwa Ghulam Ali.

On the other hand, JUI-F leader Hafiz Hamdullah said the madrasa registration bill was a part of the 26th Constitutional Amendment Bill but it was stopped at the President's House.

"Let us know why the president of Pakistan is not signing the Madrasa Registration Bill," he added.

Noting that the PPP and Bilawal were on board until it was passed by both the houses, he questioned what was the obstacle in the signing of the bill.

"Is the President House, which is hindering the bill, [more] supreme than parliament? he asked.

Suggesting that Bilawal should talk to his father and play his role as the issue concerned the supremacy of the parliament or otherwise, the JUI-F leader warned, Fazl would be forced to take action.

Later, talking to the media after the meeting, Senator Kamran Murtaza said they had a good meeting over a cup of tea. He said President Zardari was not the president of PPP but the State. He said Bilawal supported the JUI-F's stance on the registration of madrassas and the signing of the bill.

Meanwhile, Maulana Haideri told the media that the PPP leaders promised to address the JUI-F's concerns.

It should be noted that Fazl had earlier said the party would announce a future plan of action in Peshawar on December 8 if the government failed to sign the legislation by December 7.