Staff Reporter
Azhar Siddiqui, a lawyer, has petitioned the Lahore High Court over the implementation of compulsory teaching of Quran in all educational institutes in Pakistan. The court has sought responses from the chairman of the Higher Education Commission and the federal secretary for religious affairs.
The petition asked the court to order the authorities to ensure implementation of the Sections 3 and 4 of the Compulsory Teaching of the Holy Quran Act, 2017, of the Constitution. Siddiqui asked the court to order Punjab to ensure implementation of similar act, enacted in 2018 by the province. This is so “that the true teachings and guidance of the Holy Quran and its understanding is dispersed among the news generation of Muslims in Pakistan.”
He said that the court should also ask Punjab authorities to notify all public and private schools in the province to initiate Naazrah Quran classes from grade 1 to 4, and teachings of Quran along with translation from grade 6 to 12. The National Assembly passed the bill in April 2017, making teaching of the Holy Quran compulsory for Muslim students in all educational institutions.