The writer is a security analyst.
THE reaction to the one-member Shoaib Suddle Commission report, which recommended that content on Islamic teachings and history be only carried in Islamic Studies textbooks was not unexpected. The report came at a time when the protests of the now banned Tehreek-i-Labbaik Pakistan was underway and the state could not afford an upsurge in emotions.
The Council of Islamic Ideology and the National Commission on Minorities both denounced the report. However, it was on the directives of the governor of Punjab that the Department of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs withdrew the notification to implement the recommendations of the Supreme Court-appointed commission.
Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has taken notice of omitting Islamic content from the curriculum except the subject of Islamic Studies. DawnNewsTV/File
LAHORE: Punjab Governor Chaudhry Sarwar has taken notice of omitting Islamic content from the curriculum except the subject of Islamic Studies. On his directive, the Department of Human Rights and Minorities Affairs withdrew the notification to implement the recommendations of the one-member commission.
Mr Sarwar immediately stopped the implementation of the recommendations of the Shoaib Suddle Commission. A new notification has also been issued. The Muslim scholars expressed their gratitude to the governor.
Talking to the Muslim religious scholars in a meeting on Monday, Mr Sarwar said the Islamic content would not be removed from the curriculum and it would not be limited to the subject of Islamic Studies only.
Top Story
April 26, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Punjab’s Human Rights and Minorities Affairs (HR&MA) Department has withdrawn its letter which had asked the Punjab Curriculum Text Board (PCTB) to exclude all Islamic content including Hamd, Naat and topics of the life of holy Prophet (PBUH) from the textbooks of all other subjects including Urdu, English etc and shift it to Islamiyat.
On Sunday, a section officer (HR) of the HR&MA Dept issued a letter to the School Education Department secretary and PCTB managing director announcing the withdrawal of its 1st of April, 2021, letter.
The April 1 letter had directed the PCTB MD to implement the decision taken in a meeting held on 11th of November, 2020, under the chairmanship of one-man commission.
Top Story
April 26, 2021
ISLAMABAD: Punjab’s Human Rights and Minorities Affairs (HR&MA) Department has withdrawn its letter which had asked the Punjab Curriculum Text Board (PCTB) to exclude all Islamic content including Hamd, Naat and topics of the life of holy Prophet (PBUH) from the textbooks of all other subjects including Urdu, English etc and shift it to Islamiyat.
On Sunday, a section officer (HR) of the HR&MA Dept issued a letter to the School Education Department secretary and PCTB managing director announcing the withdrawal of its 1st of April, 2021, letter.
The April 1 letter had directed the PCTB MD to implement the decision taken in a meeting held on 11th of November, 2020, under the chairmanship of one-man commission. The MD PCTB was also conveyed the decision, which read as: “Religious content must be excluded from the books of other subjects and must be restricted to the books specifically intended for religious knowledge (Islamiat/ Ethics).”
The Delhi High Court has directed the Centre to fill up the vacant posts of chairperson and five other members of the National Commission for Minorities (NCM) by July 31.Justice Prathiba M. Singh gave