SC freezes results of Madaris qualified winners

[Ray]

SC freezes results of Madaris qualified winners


(Updated at 1430 PST)

LAHORE: Supreme Court of Pakistan has restrained Election Commission of Pakistan (EC) from gazette notification of the names of all those Madaris certificate holders who got elected in Local Bodies polls-2005.

The apex court’s decision, which was faxed here by the Deputy Registrar, Bashir Janjua to EC directed that the results of the winning candidates bearing religious seminaries certificates should not be released through official gazette notification.

The Supreme Court comprising of Chief Justice of Pakistan, Justice Iftikhar Mohammad Chaudhry, Justice Faqir Mohammad Khokar and Justice Syed Saiyeed Ashad passed this order in the case of Shaukat Ali and others who were earlier permitted to contest the elections provisionally.

However, later on, the court in its detail order had decreed that Madaris certificates without qualifying in English, Urdu and Pakistan Studies could not be accepted as equivalent to Matriculation.

Shaukat Ali and others, according to unofficial results, have won in LB polls held on August 25.

In a democracy, everyone is allowed to stand for election except criminals.

I wouldn't know if Madari certificate holders could be classified as criminals. I don't think holding such ceritficates would automatically mean that the person is a terorrist, expecially in an Islamic country.

It is muzzling of democracy as also to appear to the West as pliable to its demands.

The fact that such candidates have won (and one doesn't know how many and will possibly never know) does indicate that the home truth is different from that wanting to be projected.

One should know the ground position so that one can evolve a strategy to combat it, rather than debarring after the election.

If they were that obnoxious as to not be fit to hold even be elected to such primary step of democracy, then they should have been banned from contesting.

Now, that they have won, to debar them will only add to the militancy and not deter it.

A move that portends an evil wind!

[Asim Aquil]

They were allowed to stand in the elections provisionally. They are largely uneducated, its best they stand out of any sort of governance than contribute poorly with their outdated practices of governance.

They were told you may contest since the SC decision was not out there yet and election date was there. Madrassa education = reading the Quran and memorizing it and knowing that happened in Arabia 1500 years ago. We need somebody with modern education that can be applied to Pakistan TODAY.

[Adux]

They were allowed to stand in the elections provisionally. They are largely uneducated, its best they stand out of any sort of governance than contribute poorly with their outdated practices of governance.

They were told you may contest since the SC decision was not out there yet and election date was there. Madrassa education = reading the Quran and memorizing it and knowing that happened in Arabia 1500 years ago. We need somebody with modern education that can be applied to Pakistan TODAY.

Agreed.

Josh

[Ray]

Anger at Pakistan election ruling


By Aamer Ahmed Khan
BBC News, Karachi

madrassa students
The court ruling on degrees is likely to have wide implications
Pakistan's religious heads have reacted angrily to a ruling that candidates with degrees from religious schools cannot contest local elections.

They said the Supreme Court ruling had no legal precedence, was discriminatory and would cause chaos.

The court on Tuesday ruled that all candidates must have studied English, Pakistan studies and Urdu.

Local elections are being held in two phases, the first on Thursday and the second on 25 August.

The country's election commission said it had not yet considered the full text of the court ruling.

Hanif Jullundhry, the spokesman for the Madrassa Alliance, told the BBC news website: "Our degrees were accepted by the election commission for the October 2002 polls."

The alliance includes various organisations that control an estimated 10,000 religious institutions.

"If people have made it to the national and provincial assemblies and the senate on the basis of our degrees, why are they being stopped in local elections?" Mr Jullundhry asked

Ruling's meaning

Grade 10 is the minimum educational qualification for candidates wanting to contest local elections.

The equivalent qualification from a madrassa was also deemed sufficient.

Man holds list of symbols of the parties competing in Pakistan's local elections
More than 200,000 candidates are competing in the local elections

But the Supreme Court has said that madrassa degrees alone will not be enough unless they include English, Urdu and Pakistan studies.

The court was ruling on petitions filed by various candidates whose nominations were cancelled because they were holding madrassa degrees.

Mr Jullundhry said these three subjects were not formally included in the madrassa curriculum until 2003.

"But even those who qualified before 2003 are well versed in these subjects," he said.

Liaquat Baloch, deputy chief of the MMA religious alliance, said he believed the ruling "applies only to candidates who had petitioned the court".

"It is not applicable in general and therefore will have no bearing on the elections."

But independent observers say the court ruling is likely to have far-reaching implications as it can be invoked by losing candidates after the elections.
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/south_asia/4158630.stm

As predicted.

Thar she blows!

Worrisome times ahead.

[Asim Aquil]

Pakistan first. Everything else can come later. Mullahs can whine all that they want, only that will happen whats in the interest of the country. Of course now Mullahs would need more and more educated. While some are idiots not all fall for the Mullah line after getting educated.

[Ray]

I agree with you that it is Pakistan first.

However, it is the damned Mullahs who are calling the tune.

The madrassa have refused to open up their books and the govt cantake a running jump says Achemed Hussein, the header of JEI Pakistan in Hard Talk.

It is always the Mullahs who are coming up smelling of roses.

It worries me as much as it worries you.

I grudingly accept their clout and you wish to wish it away.

The fact that Musharraf had to manipulate, make promises to quitting one post, breaking main parties to foist a govt of his choice is an indicator that the reality of the situation of Islamists being in the forefront is being obfuscated.

[Asim Aquil]

The fact that Musharraf had to manipulate, make promises to quitting one post, breaking main parties to foist a govt of his choice is an indicator that the reality of the situation of Islamists being in the forefront is being obfuscated.

Thats politics, he didn't beat them up to do that. They saw a chance to align with the guys in power, and so they did. People don't change parties all over the world?

Perhaps they even disagreed with their parties policies and found a liking towards Musharrafs.

[Ray]

Army men don't play politics.

It is an apolitical organisation as per the Brtitish legacy.