In connection with the implementation of National Action Plan (NAP) to ensure eradication of terror, the Khyber Pakhtunkhwa government ordered sealing of a seminary in Tangi town of Charsadda district, which is owned and run by a local leader of Maulana Fazalur Rahman’s Jamiat Ulema-i-Islam-Fazl (JUI-F).
However, the madrasah owner and other JUI-F leaders alleged malafide intentions behind the decision, saying, “Police sealed the seminary at the behest of political rivals.” But district police officer has contradicted such allegations, claiming, “Action was initiated after a detailed investigation and scrutiny of secret agencies’ reports.”
Officials at Charsadda said that Madrasah Taleem-ul-Quran wa Sunnah, Tangi, was sealed according to government decisions, adding almost all the students and teachers have already been asked to leave, and police squad deployed after the eviction of students and teachers. The madrasah was in occupation of around 400 students mostly from rural parts of Charsadda district and adjoining Mohmand and Bajaur tribal agencies.
The JUI-F District Amir, Maulana Mohammad Hasham Khan, and the owner of Madrasah Pir Gohar Ali Shah (who is also JUI-F Secretary General district Charsadda) during a press conference accused the government and police of sealing the madrasah on political grounds. They said that sealing of madrasah was contrary to Islamic norms and accused what they called political rivals to JUI-F in Charsadda for their involvement in the act. In this respect, they mentioned the name of Aftab Ahmad Khan Sherpao’s Quami Watan Party (QWP), which, according to Maulana Hasham Khan, was bewildered by JUI-F’s growing popularity.
Maulana Hasham Khan, when contacted by this scribe, confirmed the raiding of madrasah by law enforcing agencies and picking up of some suspects in past. “One of the arrested persons was a student from Bajaur but he was released later,” he remarked. The student was arrested for his alleged links with the Islamic State aka Daesh.
Maulana Hasham Khan further said, “There was no any justification for sealing of madrasah. If the government was suspicious about students and our teachers’ activities, then they could’ve contacted the administrator.” He, however, threatened dire consequences if the government delayed reopening of the seminary. He said that it was an old madrasah which was already registered with the government.
Charsadda District Police Officer, Khalid Sohail, told a news agency that the madrasah was sealed according to the directives of the provincial government. He said, “We have nothing to do with politics and we are determined to follow the government decisions.” He confirmed that several suspects had been arrested from this madrasah in the past. He also said that license/registration of the madrasah was also expired.
The official sources said that it was the first seminary closed by the government in connection with the implementation of NAP. The official said that the government, through secret and law enforcing agencies, was engaged in a detailed scrutiny of seminaries throughout the province.